Hi Kathy,

Do you keep a training diary? I heard that it might be a good idea but I don’t know. Can it really help?

I do keep a daily training diary. Having a training log is a great way to have all your training data at your fingertips so that you can follow your progress, see trends, and document how your body is responding to your daily training. It can even help you redefine your goals through the season.

I keep mine on an excel spreadsheet so that I can find things easily when I need information at a moments notice. It is also easier and faster to get that information to my coach or other interested parties.

You can get really in depth with a training diary, recording everything from your resting heart rate all the way to what you ate that day. What you document will depend on how much time you have and/or how much time you want to give to recording. Obviously, the more you want to record on a daily basis the more time consuming it will be; but it is worth it!

Here are some of the things I document on a daily basis:

Workout – specifically what I did
Duration – in time
Weather – temperature, windy, sunny
What the ride was like - climbing, flats, dirt roads, trails
How I felt – good, bad
General Comments – got a flat tire, severe winds

You can also record things such as your nutrition, power, sleep, fatigue levels, stress, soreness, resting heart rate, weight, race results, workout rating, average heart rate, average power, zones you were in, distance, route, % body fat, weight before and after workouts, any cross training, etc.

As you can see there are tons of things to document if you want to spend time doing it. You will find that as you do, there is a core amount that you need to be recording but the other stuff may help you find trends in your training too. Some things will be more helpful to you than others, and you need to just decide as you go along what factors are really important to you.

Good luck!

Kathy Sherwin
Velo Bella – Kona Elite Cyclocross Team

Piney Hills Classic Stage Race, Ruston, Louisiana

Written by: Sean Sindt
TMBRA Fall Series Race #4

Round #4 of the Texas Fall Racing series took place last weekend with a stop in Louisiana. Racers made the long drive to Ruston, LA to enjoy the best race on the fall series schedule. Ruston is a rider favorite due to it’s stage race format including a short track race, time trial, and cross country race. This type of format is rare so it attracted many racers. In addition to the stage race format, the promoters were guaranteeing a $1500 pay out to the pro class. With this kind of money up for grabs, the best riders in Texas were all shooting for a great weekend. On top of all of that, the weather was nearly perfect with race temperatures in the 70’s. The course was in perfect shape too with dry weather for a week leading up to the race. The course is a lot of fun offering everything a racer is looking for, climbs, technical descents, flats, and plenty of smooth flowing single track.

The first stage took place on Saturday afternoon with a short track race. Just 2 weeks earlier, Mitch Comardo(Gary Fisher 29er), had won the Bryan Power Pedal riding a single speed. Everybody knew he was riding on form but the defending champion Brian Fawley(Park Place Lexus) wanted to get revenge. Right from the gun Comardo and Fawley jumped to the front and set a pace nobody could match. After lap one, they already had created a 10 second gap from the rest of the field. Despite many surges from multiple chase groups, nobody could match the dominant pace set by these two riders. By the time the bell rang for the last lap, Fawley and Comardo were completely out of site of any other riders in the field. Fawley muscled his was to the front and out kicked Comardo to the line to take the first place points. After this dominant performance by these two riders, it was clear to everyone else competing this weekend that they were all riding for 3rd place.

Stage 1 Results: Short Track Race

1 Bryan Fawley Park Place Lexus
2 Mitchell Comardo Gary Fisher 29er
3 Rick Wetherald Solar Eclipse
4 Tracy Martin S3
5 Tristan Uhl Hotel San Jose
6 Sean Sindt Bicycle Sport Shop
7 Chris Carlson
8 Wallace Groda Bike Barn/Gary Fisher/Subaru
9 Joshua Rosby Raising Cane's Racing
10 Keith Hargis Team Coady & Lewis
11 Noel Reuter Bicycle Sport Shop
12 Shaun Bonavita Giant
13 Mason Quintana Austin Bikes
14 Craig Kunz Bicycle Sport Shop
15 Greg Parham NRC/Pedalmashers


Stage 2’s time trial was 3 miles. Riders took to the line with 1 minute intervals and hoped to ride a flawless race. In a race this short, the slightest mistake could put you back several places. This is exactly what everyone was hoping would happen to the two dominate riders from the early afternoon’s short track race. Unfortunately, Fawley and Comardo once again showed everybody why they are untouchable this weekend. Fawley won the time trial easily by 14 seconds over Comardo and then another 11 seconds separated 2nd place to 3rd. In the same order they finished in the short track, Rick Wetherald(Solar Eclipse), Tracy Martin(S3), and Tristan Uhl(Hotel San Jose) finish 3rd, 4th, and 5th respectively. After 2 stages, the top 5 riders were sitting very comfortably in the top 5 spots.

Stage 2 Results: Time Trial

1 Bryan Fawley 10:46 Park Place Lexus
2 Mitchell Comardo 11:00 Gary Fisher 29er
3 Rick Wetherald 11:11 Solar Eclipse
4 Tracy Martin 11:12 S3
5 Tristan Uhl 11:23 Hotel San Jose
6 Chris Carlson 11:23
7 Noel Reuter 11:32 Bicycle Sport Shop
7 Wallace Groda 11:32 Bike Barn/Gary Fisher/Subaru
9 Sean Sindt 11:32 Bicycle Sport Shop
10 Keith Hargis 11:34 Team Coady & Lewis
11 Shaun Bonavita 11:40 Giant
12 Joshua Rosby 11:41 Raising Cane's Racing
13 Greg Parham 11:53 NRC/Pedalmashers
14 Craig Kunz 11:53 Bicycle Sport Shop
15 Mason Quintana 11:57 Austin Bikes

Stage 3 was a cross country race taking place Sunday morning. With the top five riders scoring high points the day before, the only thing left to work out was who was going to take the overall. Everybody knew it would be Fawley or Comardo, but which one? Coming into the 3rd stage, Fawley had a 10 point lead over Comardo. So if he won the race or just finished in the top 3 he would be going home with another victory. The race was exciting right from the start as once again Fawley and Comardo separated themselves from the field. Fawley knew he needed just to win, or at least finish close behind Comardo, but as the race went on he felt stronger and stronger. Heading into the last lap of the 3 lap race his lead over Comardo was only at 1 minute. “I was feeling good so I figured on the last lap I would open it up and see how much distance I could get on Mitch” said Fawley.

This turned out to be more than he expected. Fawley proved to everyone that he was the strongest rider in the field by finishing the race 3 ½ minutes in front of 2nd place Comardo. “I felt great. Everything seemed to be going my way this weekend. I love this course, I think I will always come back here.”

The final general classification had Fawley finishing with a perfect score taking a victory in all 3 stages. He walked away with nearly $500 in prize money and payout for the GC went 6 deep. If the promoters of the Piney Hills Classic promise big money every year this will be sure to be a favorite for elite riders for years to come.

Stage 3 Results: Cross Country

1 Bryan Fawley 2:03:37 Park Place Lexus
2 Mitchell Comardo 2:07:09 Gary Fisher 29er
3 Tracy Martin 2:08:35 S3
4 Rick Wetherald 2:09:28 Solar Eclipse
5 Sean Sindt 2:09:48 Bicycle Sport Shop
6 Noel Reuter 2:11:20 Bicycle Sport Shop
7 Wallace Groda 2:12:40 Bike Barn/Gary Fisher/Subaru
8 Keith Hargis 2:13:56
9 Chris Carlson 2:14:31
10 Joshua Rosby 2:16:01 Raising Cane's Racing
11 Mason Quintana 2:17:58 Austin Bikes
12 Greg Parham 2:18:06 NRC/Pedalmashers
13 Shaun Bonavita 2:18:14 Giant
14 Craig Kunz 2:19:50 Bicycle Sport Shop
DNF Tristan Uhl Hotel San Jose
DNF Jesse Moran PACC

General Classification-Final

1 Bryan Fawley 180 Park Place Lexus
2 Mitchell Comardo 165 Gary Fisher 29er
3 Rick Wetherald 149 Solar Eclipse
4 Tracy Martin 145 S3
5 Sean Sindt 118 Bicycle Sport Shop
6 Chris Carlson 112
7 Wallace Groda 111 Bike Barn/Gary Fisher/Subaru
8 Noel Reuter 108 Bicycle Sport Shop
9 Keith Hargis 97 Team Coady & Lewis
10 Joshua Rosby 91 Raising Cane's Racing
11 Tristan Uhl 88 Hotel San Jose
12 Shaun Bonavita 81 Giant
13 Mason Quintana 75 Austin Bikes
14 Greg Parham 73 NRC/Pedalmashers
15 Craig Kunz 69 Bicycle Sport Shop

National MTB Oktoberfest, North Carolina

This weekend was the final race in the USA Cycling Ultra Endurance Series in North Carolina at the National MTB Oktoberfest. The weekend was made up of 4 different races with Saturdays 8 hour race as the pinnacle event of the festival. Some of the best racers from around the US showed up to duke it out.


In the mens race Nat Ross (Subaru/Gary Fisher) and Tinker Juarez (Mona.Vie/Cannondale) took the early lead but after a couple of laps they were over taken by Harlan Price (Independent Fabrication) and Jeremiah Bishop(Trek/VW). Nat had come down with a virus just prior to the race and found himself battling the bug to stay in the race. Tinker held on about a minute or two back for most of the race while the leaders battled out front for the full eight hours.
Harlan and Jeremiah switched off the lead several times, never letting the other get away. Finally on the last lap Jeremiah made a break for it and put a small gap on Harlan on the final climb. Near the top of the climb Jeremiah's chain dropped and he ran up the hill scared that he would be caught. In the end Jeremiah was able to take it with only a 12 second gap over Harlan. Tinker finished third, Ernesto Marenchin fourth and Nat Ross rounded out the top 5. Nat's finish would give enough points to secure the Series win.

In the women's race Pua Sawicki found herself alone out front for the entire race, only to do battle with the solo men and team racers. Pua was able to win by several laps and also take the fastest overall female day and night laps along with the Queen of the mountain hill climb contest.

On the final lap Pua took her dog (Koa) out to top off a really great race. Koa is probably the first dog to ride on the victory lap at a Nationals, he loved it!

With this victory Pua is now the 2008 female Ultra Endurance Series Champion. Pua won 4 of the 5 races she entered in this series and the one and only loss was due to having to pull from the race after suffering a bad crash at the Marathon Nationals, in Colorado. This is her 3rd National Series championship and 6th National title in her four years of professional racing.

Report and Photos Courtesy of Ron Sawicki

Hi Kathy,

Do you pre-ride the Cyclocross courses that you will be racing? If you do, when do you do that so that it doesn’t mess up your training.

Good question. Yes I always pre-ride the cyclocross course that I am going to race on. Ideally, I pre-ride the day before the race if the course is set up. But unfortunately the courses aren’t always set up and ready on Friday which means pre-riding will need to take place the day of the race.

Riding the day before the race is ideal because it allows you to really think about tire selection, pressure selection, and practicing all the run ups, barriers and technical sections at speed. It is a good time to get to know the various course corners and practice them along with figuring out other tricky sections. Getting in at least a few laps in on course is imperative so that you can really dial things in - where you want to get off your bike, figuring out when it's faster to run your bike, how you are going to carry your bike, etc.

Most of the time the cross courses will be set up and available to ride on race day sometime before your race. But the challenge comes when you are trying to accomplish pre-riding in between all the other races that are going on before yours. It makes it tough to get that pre-ride in when there are only 15 minutes in between races so you must plan well.

What can make things even more interesting is if you throw some mud and muck into the equation (what are the chance of that in cross!). Now you really need to plan out your race day wisely because you don’t want to be on course preriding during the 15 min prior to YOUR race start. If you do that, then you will have a muddy bike to start your race with!! Obviously pre-riding on race day is doable if the conditions are dry or if you have a lending hand at the line to swap bikes with you right before race start if it’s muddy. But even then, that dirty bike will need to be washed and ready to go, heaven forbid you need it on that first lap!

Bottom line is to try to get your pre-ride in the day before and if you can’t, then know the race schedule for the next day and plan wisely!!

Good luck!

Kathy Sherwin
Velo Bella – Kona Elite Cyclocross Team

News

Mike McCormack, organizer of the wildly successful Mountain States Cup, announces new six- day stage race for 2009.

Learn more about the "Breck-Epic"


WHAT IS IT?
A 6-stage ultra-endurance mountain bike race held in the backcountry surrounding Breckenridge, CO.

HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM OTHER MTB STAGE RACES?
• Race profits will be donated to Breckenridge Open Space and Trails and the Dillon Ranger District of the US Forest Service in the form of a restricted grant. Terms of the donation will dictate that funds be used for the addition of one seasonal trail employee per organization.
• We’ll utilize a ‘cloverleaf’ format whereby each stage will begin and end in Breckenridge. This unique format will underscore the incredible volume and variety of the trail network accessible from town.
• The event will use every tool at its disposal to reduce its carbon footprint; recycling, renewable energy credits, biodiesel, compostable serving-ware – these will be consistent themes throughout the event.

FORMAT:
• 5 stages plus a prologue off-road TT
• The stages will be Sunday-Friday with a seeding prologue taking place on Sunday afternoon.
• Solo categories will be offered, but we'll be reviewing resumes prior to accepting
• A field limit will be in place (approximately 400 riders)

PURSE:
$10,000 cash + merchandise

COURSE/VENUE INFORMATION
• The Breck Epic is intended to be a rugged backcountry experience. There will be a strong emphasis on course quality. Participants can expect very little road riding and even gravel and fire road riding will be minimized.
• Distance? About 235-250 miles.
• We'll use a 'cloverleaf' model with each stage starting and finishing in Breckenridge. That means that we'll use ONE campground and will have no transfers.
• Lodging will also be available – Breck’s got it all whether you’re looking for hostel, hotel or condo. We’ve already lined up a lodging partner willing to offer significant discounts for racers and support crew.

WHERE DOES IT TAKE PLACE?
Summit County, CO. The beauty of Breckenridge is that you can be so close and yet so far. The Epic aspires to provide a high-end, yet rugged experience. We’ll utilize town and USFS ‘system’ trails with each stage beginning and ending within the town limits of Breckenridge. The route will change from year-to-year, each subsequent iteration allowing a select group of riders to experience a unique perspective of the place we call home.

WHEN?
The short answer is July 5-10. Want the long answer? Head to the website later this week – the logic behind the date will be there in all it’s longwinded beauty.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR BRECKENRIDGE?
The primary benefit is monetary with revenue from the event donated directly to BOSAC, and through the use of a restricted grant, the USFS. The use of an event as a fundraising mechanism that underwrites trail construction and maintenance represents a paradigm shift in the event business, but this is a logical extension of one of the principles upon which Maverick Sports Promotions, the joint venture of Jeff Westcott and Mike McCormack was founded; “Events must give back to the community.”

The Epic’s goal will be to provide the funds necessary to add one additional seasonal staff member for each organization. Additionally, the PR generated from the event will create millions of unique consumer impressions, further solidifying Breck’s status as a worthwhile stop for national and international destination mountain bike travelers.

THE BRECK EPIC MESSAGE
The message is simple – open space is vital. Preservation, conservation, responsible use…whichever way you’d choose to describe it. There’s a great story to tell here in Breckenridge, one that’s been years in the making. Town leadership decided early on that ‘quality of life’, as a concept and in practice, needed to be elevated and reprioritized in order to achieve more harmonious balance with the commercial pressures unique to resort communities. In looking around at some of our counterparts across the state it’s obvious that we’re head and shoulders above most of our counterparts in principle and in practice.

We also want to underscore the fact that Breckenridge is an amazing place to visit and live. There are many old Victorian mining towns in Colorado, but few with a world-class resort and none (other than us) with almost unlimited backcountry access. Most of the town’s marketing efforts focus on the first two elements. Athletic events, especially ones grand in scope and detailed in execution do a great job of highlighting the third.

ADDITIONAL FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS
The Epic will partner with the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and its new “Team IMBA” initiative. Through participation in the Team IMBA program participants are given the tools to fundraise for their racing efforts. Proceeds from Team IMBA fundraising are split 50/50 between IMBA and the event’s charity of choice, in this case BOSAC and the Dillon Ranger District. The beauty of this strategy is that an estimated 80% of the event’s participants will come from outside of Colorado. Team IMBA’s program extends the reach of fundraising efforts to communities well outside of the traditional harvesting grounds for open space donations. Funds raised through Team IMBA will be in addition to the event revenues described above.

WEB UPDATE:
I know that I promised to get the site up and running by the 15th, but as many of you know, my wife and I had our second child on October 6th and that he had some problems. Look for the site to go live in a bare-bones sort of way by the end of the week.

THE GREENING OF THE EPIC:
We’ll be making every effort to make the Epic as green as possible. This means concentrated efforts at recycling, a conscientious nod to the reduction of our overall carbon footprint every step of the way and the use of renewable energy credits for all of our power needs. These are just the tip of the iceberg – we’ll be striving for sustainability and conscientious use with every decision that we make. We’ve always felt that 1000 heads are better than one, so please feel free to forward your suggestions on how we may shrink our impact as much as possible.

WHY WE’RE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE (a gentle reminder):
The BE is intended to showcase the unilateral collaboration of local, regional and federal land managers. I’m going to slaughter an analogy here; Breckenridge sits at the crossroads of the fruits of their labors. The trail network here is almost impossible to understand in terms of size and connectivity – it’s a rider’s paradise. The BE will donate event profits to the local land managers with the intent that they be earmarked for additional trail improvements.

SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION;
We’ve worked with many of you in the past and would welcome the opportunity to do so once again. We’ll be packaging The Breck Epic along with The 4th of July Firecracker 50 (USAC Marathon National Championships) and “Crossifixion ’09,” an epic-length backcountry cyclocross race scheduled for September 18, 2009. We feel that working promotional elements into a wide range of event works best for you as partners. With that clearly stated, we’re also willing to parcel out each event according to your brand’s interests. If you’d like to find out more about sponsorship opportunities please contact us and we’ll get something dialed in for you.

SPONSOR REFERRAL PROGRAM:
I don’t want to overly commercialize and monetize the event, but historically the best sponsorship leads come from word of mouth. In order to integrate with the stated goal of the event (to directly fund additional labor resources for Breckenridge Open Space and Trails and the USFS) we’re being a bit selective about who we partner with. If you’re hooked up with an organization that might be interested in aligning themselves with greener goods and goals, please feel free to contact us to make an introduction. I can provide more details, but we’ll offer each referrer a 10% ‘finder’s fee’ that can be applied toward entry fees and merchandise. Based upon finalized cash sponsorship. Limit one solo entry (@ $1000 value, actual value TBD) and $300 merchandise credit.

MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES:
Lodging, food, camping, showers, mechanical support, aid stations, moto crew…not to oversimplify, but all that stuff’s coming together. Expect great food, beer and coffee. Expect phenomenal riding.

VOLUNTEERS:
We need ‘em. Volunteers will get piles of event swag and I’m talking about the good stuff. Each volunteer will earn $10/hour credit at the company store ($150 maximum.) You’ll be able to redeem your credit for socks, tees, hats, fleeces, bags, etc. All volunteers will also receive meal tickets for breakfast and dinner for each day that they volunteer. Interested? Please contact me at mikemac01@gmail.com.

BLOGGERS GRANTS:
We’re giving away 4 race entries to the folks who’ve got the scribbling jones. Each blogger will be required to submit four 1,000 word articles prior to the event on topics ranging including actual race prep, their mental states, why they love their bike and just about anything else loosely related to the event. During the event they’ll be asked to write 500-1000 words after each stage. All of these articles will be distributed via email within the event newsletter and published on the event site, www.breckepic.com. Each blogger will be assigned to one of the vertical cycling publications and the promoter will forward their daily race journals to their print partner at no cost. Blogger hopefuls are required to submit writing samples and a completed questionnaire detailing their qualifications. Voting will be public and will take place online beginning January 1st. The grant program overview and application are attached in a separate document. Want an application? Send me a note at mikemac01@gmail.com.


Thanks in advance for taking a look at the event –
Mike

BTU Power Pedal, Bryan, Texas:TMBRA Fall Series Race #3

The BTU Power Pedal took place last weekend in Bryan, Texas. Normally the Bryan race has a lower turn out, but the TMBRA fall series has been cut shorter this year due to hurricane Ike. The Huntsville Classic on September 21st was cancelled this year because of flooding. Since the series is only a few races to begin with, and Huntsville was cancelled, many races showed up to Bryan for a long awaited race.

Although the course conditions were dry and favorable for a fast race and the temperature was only up to the mid 80’s, this course isn’t one of the favorite for racers. The Bryan race is 95% flat with lots of twisty sharp corners. Usually the pro class draws 10-12 racers but instead 16 riders took to the line and started the race. With the course being so tight, it was very important to get a good start and enter the single track in front. Leading the way at first was Brian Fawley (Park Place Lexus) and Rick Wetherald (Solar Eclipse). “It was hard to get into any flow” said Brian Fawley (Park Place Lexus). Craig Kunz (Bicycle Sport Shop) said “The course was the same all the way from start to finish. It was hard to tell where you were. The theme of the day was: pedal, pedal, turn, turn…” After the pace settled in, Mitch Comardo (Gary Fisher 29er) made his way to the front of the pack riding a Gary Fisher 29er single speed. This was the right course to ride a single speed and Comardo used it to his advantage. Comardo rode with the leaders for awhile and then surged ahead and won the race easily by 2 minutes over Wetherald in 2nd and Fawley in 3rd. This is Comardo’s first win in the TMBRA series, but he has been riding faster and faster every race. If he continues to look this good this won’t be his last win.

There are 2 races left on the fall series schedule. The next race will be in Ruston, La on October 25th and 26th. Ruston is the premier race on the fall series schedule. It draws the biggest crowds because of its stage racing format. Stage 1 and 2 will be on Saturday with a short track race and a time trial. Stage 3 will be Sunday morning with a cross country race. The last race of the series will be in Smithville, TX on November 9th.

BTU Classic Results:

1 Mitchell Comardo 2:08:03 Gary Fisher 29er
2 Rick Wetherald 2:10:08 Solar Eclipse
3 Bryan Fawley 2:11:10 Park Place Lexus
4 Tracy Martin 2:11:21 Raising Cane's
5 Matthew Davis 2:11:58 MAD DUCK
6 Tristan Uhl 2:12:14 Hotel San Jose
7 Sean Sindt 2:14:15 Bicycle Sport Shop
8 Nathan Winkelmann 2:14:55 Bike Lane/Winkelmann Asset
9 Jorge Munoz 2:14:56 Gold's Gym Laredo
10 Noel Reuter 2:17:36 Bicycle Sport Shop
11 Chris Carlson 2:17:48
12 Keith Hargis 2:20:37 Team Coady & Lewis
13 Heath Weisbrod 2:21:02 Larson Cycle
14 Craig Kunz 2:22:14 Bicycle Sport Shop
15 Tyler Jewell 2:45:29 Hotel San Jose

News

World Cup Champion Marie-Helene Premont Decides to Continue Racing in 2009

Rocky Mountain Bicycles team rider Marie-Hélène Prémont will be contesting the mountain bike World Cup for at least one more year in 2009. The 31 year old native of Chateau-Richer, Quebec had previously intended to retire at the end of the 2008 season.

Prémont enjoyed her most successful racing season ever in 2008, winning two World Cups on the way to capturing the UCI World Cup overall title, and successfully defending her National Champion title for the sixth time in a row, a Canadian record. “I am really looking forward to coming back for another season. I feel like I am only getting better and I want to see what more I can do”, Marie commented. “Rocky Mountain was happy for me to ride another year, so it wasn’t too difficult of a decision.”

Prémont is in her third year of her Pharmacy degree at the University of Laval in Quebec with one year left to go, which makes her recent racing accomplishments that much more impressive. “Eventually I want to have a family, so I will have to stop racing one day to do that, but for now I want to focus on school and racing.”

Marie-Hélène was instrumental in launching Rocky Mountain’s first foray into carbon fiber with its new Vertex RSL. She was delivered the frame four days before Canadian Nationals at Mont St. Anne and she took the win there and the following weekend at the World Cup. “The new Vertex is the nicest bike I’ve ever ridden; super light and stiff. It’s a true World Cup bike.”

In March, look for Marie-Hélène to line up with the best in the world again at the first World Cup of the 2009 season in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Hi Kathy,



Do you have an off season ever? It seems like you are always racing. What do you do in your off season if you take one?



Once your race season is over it is time to consider taking a break. It is important to let your body recover from a long season of racing. It is also important to give your mind a rest from all the training and racing stress. It is because of all this that I do take an off season and the length of it depends on my current situation and goals. Here are a couple things to consider while deciding how long of an off season to take.



1. Listen to your body. You really want to make sure you are not forcing things either way by not taking long enough off or by cutting your off season too short. For instance, last year when I had dislocated ribs I took one whole month off because I needed to heal. That month was valuable healing time for not only my ribs but my body too and I knew I needed it. But this year I decided to only take two weeks off when I had surgery on my broken hand. And, two weeks was definitely enough time because I could not wait to get back in to racing and training. Sometimes you just simply know what you need to do by your state of mind and you need to go with that and not second guess yourself.



2. Set your goals. I would highly recommend setting your goals for the upcoming season and from there determining how long you are going to take off. If you want to be faster in the Fall or not loose much fitness, then only take a few weeks off but if time is not an issue and neither is loosing valuable fitness then I would err on the side of a longer off season.



Just remember that some people need more time off than others for varying reasons (level of fitness, previous season exertion levels, how much travel was done, etc) and getting that physical and mental time off will do wonders!



As for what I do in my off season? NOTHING. That means that I don’t run, I don’t swim, I don’t ride and instead I hang out, reconnect with my family, get things down around the house and simply do what I please. If at any point during my off season I feel like I need to get out and about to get the blood flowing I will do yoga and /or pilates but that is all! If you do decide to do a little activity during your off season, keep things fun and very unstructured.



Kathy Sherwin

Velo Bella – Kona Elite Cyclocross Team

2008 Suzuki 24 Hours of Moab: Galactic Championships

Weather can always be a factor at 24 Hours of Moab. Over the years Moab has had the “snow year”, then the “rain year” and 2008 will forever be known as the “wind year.” Forecasts had been calling for freezing temperatures and snow fall the week leading up to the race. While the temperatures failed to drop, nearby storm systems stirred up unrelenting winds, at times gusting up to 35-40 mph and carrying the fine desert sand, the kind of abrasive, scouring wind that eats through rock creating the hundreds of sandstone arches that Moab is famous for. The field, which included top cross country and ultra-endurance racers like Chris Eatough (Trek/VW), Tinker Juarez (Monavie/Cannondale), Danny Pate (Pro Cycling), Kelli Emmett (Pro Cycling), and Josh Tostado (Bach Builders), were not about to let the weather keep them from racing.



As tents blew away in the support area the wind was wreaking havoc on the race course, the blowing sands quickly drifted in whatever riding lines were once there. As the riders lined up for the noon start, the wind storm was at it’s peak. The sand kicked up by the normally dusty Le Mans start engulfed the field as it was picked up by the howling wind. The first rider to emerge was German Monavie/Cannondale rider Ben Sonntag and he proved running is just one of his talents as he held his lead all throughout the opening lap. Solo rider Josh Tostado entered the transition tent with the third fastest opening lap. Right from the start it was clear Tostado was looking to avenge his heartbreaking loss at the 24 Hour National Championships which saw him lose his lead over 24 hour superstar Chris Eatough in the final hours of the race.

Tostado was using his usual race strategy, start fast and establish a lead early. And he succeeded by opening up a lead of several minutes in the opening laps. Early on it seemed as though Tostado's strategy may be working against him. As he stayed out front by himself the other top solo riders were content to ride together saving precious energy by drafting through the wind on the long open sections of the course. Tostado soldiered on however and after the first several laps all the solo riders were on their own. Just like 24 Hour Nationals Tostado held a slim lead of several minutes over National Champion Eatough when the sun went down.

With the sun set and the wind still blowing temperatures dropped quickly. The cold couldn’t slow Tostado as the race leader continued to post laps times under one hour twenty minutes. The race between Tostado and Eatough remained tight and it seemed as though Eatough was just waiting to make his move, the way he did in Wausau. In the early hours of Sunday morning, that all changed as Eatough was forced to abandon the race suffering from hypothermia. Nothing could stop Tostado now. As dawn broke and the horrible conditions of the previous day were replaced by blue skies and warm temperatures Tostado cruised around the course finishing off 17 laps to claim the first ever 24 Hour Galactic Championship. Tinker Juarez came in second with 16 laps followed by South African Roan Exelby (Squirt Lube).

In the women’s solo race the most significant move happened before the race even started as U.S. National Champion Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth) withdrew from the race due to illness. This left 2007 winner, Jari Kirkland (Boulder Performance Network), as the top gun on course. Kirland ,who had been instrumental in assuring proportional payout for the women’s solo category prior to the race, was able to take advantage of her own efforts as she claimed the women’s top spot, completing 13 laps, two laps in front of second place Chris Cannon (Honey Stinger). Thanks to Kirkland and Granny Gear’s efforts to provide adequate pay back for female solo racers she received a check for $1,000 and the title of Galactic Champion.

In the 4-Person Pro Men’s competition the Monavie/Cannondale squad schooled all other teams completing a combined 21 laps with team rider Bart Gillespie claiming the fastest lap prize with a 1:01:36.

The 4-Person Pro Women’s prize went to the Utah Girls team. The team of Lara Kendall, Julie Minahan, Erika Powers, and Jen Hanks defended their home turf by beating the much more well known SoBe Bella composite team. And the 4-Person Coed Pro race went to the Pro Cycling team with team member Kelli Emmett putting in the fastest women’s lap time of the day with an incredible 1:12:53.

This year left no doubt that Moab is the toughest 24 hour race in the nation. Now that the dust has settled on the 2008 24 Hours of Moab, one question still remains: After winning the Galactic championships, what color stripes do you get to put on your jersey?

Race Notes:

The award for "Most Ridiculous Team of the Race" goes to Cruiser Bike Disaster, Felt Racers. The team of Chucky "Trucker" Gibson, Jason Asay, Racer Gibson, and John Woodruff completed 14 laps on stock beach cruisers compete with fenders, balloon tires, coaster brakes, and kick stands! In spite of all that Trucker Gibson posted a lap time of 1:22:49. After the finish Team Captain Racer Gibson said "That was just retarded."

After the race Laird Knight announced Granny Gear would be continuing it's series again next year but trimming it down to 3 races which include Big Bear, West Virginia, Moab, Utah, and the new addition of 24 Hours of 9-Mile in Wausau, Wisconsin site of the U.S. 24 Hour National Championships for the past 2 seasons.

Click here for full results

Hi Kathy -



Do you have a favorite chain lube that you use for Cyclocross and muddy conditions?





Bicycle chain lube can improve shifting, reduce noise and increase the life of the chain by preventing corrosion. I do have a favorite chain lube for cyclocross (among mtb and road racing) but everyone will have different ideas on which is the best. For really wet conditions I love the Dumonde Tech Original Formula because it repels mud like a dream and for dry and dusty conditions I love the Dumonde Tech Lite Formula because the dust doesn’t stick to the chain. But if you just go in to any reputable bike shop and get whatever lube they have for the conditions you will be riding in, that will be ample.



It is amazing how important using the right chain lube can be in certain conditions and you want to make sure you are using the right lube for the right conditions otherwise things can get interesting. Lube can be a lot of money per ounce but the bottle will last you forever if you do things right and don’t over lube. Here are the steps for lubing your chain:



1. Clean and dry your chain.



2. Place bike in an area that can get dirty or simply lay down some rags under the chain.



3. Either place the bike up against something where the pedals can turn freely OR pinch the bikes rear tire in between your legs to hold it up.



4. Use your bike lube and apply it to the part of the chain that touches the gears as you simultaneously spin the pedal backwards with your other hand.



5. Apply sparingly. Once you have applied a thin coating to the entire chain (one rotation through), stop lubing.



6. In order to wipe of the excess off get a rag and grab the OUTER parts of the chain gently with the rag while spinning the pedal backwards with your other hand until the outer surface of the chain appears dry.



There is no need to reapply until you begin to hear your chain. Sound, is the best indicator if you need to relube your chain.





Kathy Sherwin

Velo Bella – Kona Elite Cyclocross Team

More trick rides from Interbike

The Traitor PBR Fixed-Gear(not that I'm in to that sort of thing) but this bike is bad













Orbea carbon frame 29er















The very cool Felt full carbon 29er













Pivot's race bike the Mach 4, weighing in at just over 21lbs














Giant XTC full carbon hardtail















New full carbon GT Marathon, rides as nice as it looks












Specialized may be leading in the lightweight full-suspension race bike category and it looks cool as hell too!

Hey Kathy,

I know you're still in your 'cross season, but I have an off-season question for you: Do you lift weights during the off-season? If so, what do you do? Do you fit it in before your base phase or during?

Mike

Iona, Idaho

Hi Mike,

I used to lift weights in the 2006 off season through the 2007 season. Back then I started first getting my body used to lifting weights by doing sets with little to no weight and then slowly adding weight week after week. I did a combo of squats, lunges, hamstring curls, leg press machine, dead lift, bench press, lat pulls, push ups, sit-ups and back extensions. I did that for a few months and it was pretty low key while I got my body used to lifting. Once my body adapted, I moved onto the transition phase of weight training where I did high reps and started adding more weight to the lifts on the second and third sets.

After about a month of the transition phase I began the strength phase which lasted about 2 months. During that phase I did the first set with very little weight as a warm up set and the second and third set were as much weight as I could lift.

The power phase of lifting was next which included high reps, low to moderate weight and a high-velocity muscle contraction. I only did this phase on the lower body.

Once the start of the mtb season rolled around I began my maintenance phase. Throughout this phase I did sit-ups, push ups and back extensions every day too. And then once I got into the gut of the mtb season I ONLY did back extensions, sit-ups and push ups.

BUT after all this hard work, losing a good amount of weight and getting better defined muscles I wasnʼt convinced that it did much of anything for me on the bike unfortunately. I didnʼt necessarily feel stronger on the bike although I new I was stronger overall. That said, we modified my weight training program this year to only include only minimal lifting and to instead spend more time doing weight lifting workouts on the bike. And that has worked for me.

So now I only do sit-ups, push ups, and back extension throughout most of the year in addition to going to pilates or yoga when possible. And once the mtb season begins I cut down to only doing yoga and pilates. This change in my weight lifting routine has really been working for me but you may find that you feel stronger and faster WITH weight lifting. Every ones body is different.

If you decide to lift, it is important to really be careful as you will need a spotter on most lifts. In addition, you really need to be aware of any pain you are experiencing in your joints and making sure you have good form!!

Good luck to you!

Kathy Sherwin

SoBe/Cannondale MTB Team