Gotta watch the kids? Time for a long run!

Watch AFC Elite Adam Driscoll and I "watch" our kids:

Strava run data

My Cannondale Flash 29'er 1 takes on Michaux

After braving Michaux (its raw out there!  see my previous post) on my Cannondale Flash 29'er 1, its time to chat about it.

I don't hide that I like to trail poach on my cx bike with some rugged 35mm tires.  But if I want to do some real trail riding on the Baltimore County side of Potapsco or in the glorious mountains of Michaux, its time for the Cannondale mountain bike.  It has been fantastic for me over the last 2 seasons.

Lefty fork = awesome
Avid Elixir brakes = awesome
Sram drivetrain = awesome
I upgraded the tires to something beefier.  Bontrager 29-3 Experts.  They have been great.
I also upgraded the wheels to the Stans No Tubes, 340 Arch 29er.  They are sweet!  I recommend getting a Stan's injector for no-mess tubeless action.
I use Crank Brother Candy 3 pedals because I prefer Crank Bros. pedals for cyclocross.  The Candy version seems better for mountain biking.

I bought the bike at Bike Doctor Linthicum.  They are and AFC sponsor.

A little taste of Dark Hollow in Michaux

My Strava Data
Dan Atkins Strava Data

I didn't have time for the 40 miler at Dark Hollow in Michaux.  Decisions.  Do the 20 miler or ride 20 miles of the 40 miler with Dan Atkins?  Easy choice.  I'm a social rider and wasn't looking for a race this weekend anyways.  Ride with Danny it is.
Now the second decision, where do I meet up with him?  Starting with the rest of the field didn't seem right but on top of that, its unlikely I was going to keep up with Danny.  He blasts me on the MTB and really blasts me on a technical course.  Michaux is THE technical MTB trail haven of this area.  Its raw!
I decided to meet up with him at about mile 8.  That should take the edge off of Dan's wicked pace in the single-track.  Also, I have hope because I only need to survive 20 miles.  It's on!

Also, I wanted to try my new video glasses.  These were a cheap buy at the Gander Mountain store in Chambersburg PA.  $42, and you can return them within 30 days.  Had to give them a try.  As you can see from some of the videos, the audio isn't so hot when moving at any kind of speed.  So interviews aren't really doable.  Also the field of vision is less than your own normal field of vision.  I didn't take that into account.  But for $42 I was pretty happy with the results.

Unfortunately Danny got a flat in the first 90 seconds and had change it while the entire field went on.  This put him behind schedule but we met up and headed off together just after the 8 mile mark.  This was a good section to start together, it was gravel roads to chat and catch up.

Video:  I'm still getting used to clip length and knowing when I am recording :)  Also, i'm terribly awkward, hah ;)

As we approached the first single track area I was getting a little nervous.  Dan is an excellent technical rider.  Could I hang with him after he's been racing for an hour?  It turned out I could and I was super happy :)  I got to learn a lot by following him.

When I attack a technical climb I tend to get tense and really mash through rocky/rooty sections.  Dan is much more efficient.  He relies on balance and consistent power and an occasional tree push-off (solid move!).  So this is how he survives 40 miles :)


Video: I crash on a climb and then use the running skills to keep up with Dan.

Video: Hike a bike!

Video: Aid station 2 party.  Check in on the Race Pace guys:

Video: Some "gorgeous" twisty single track:

Tons of fun!

Westside Worlds 07/18/2012

Strava goodness
Unofficially awesome unofficial A ride results

Westside worlds is a chance to remember that I just freaking love biking.  Some times the opportunity to ride hard can be a chore.  WsW says, "Chores are for school boys, lets ride!"
Storms loomed on the horizon in all directions so we had a small group at the start.  Sug, Pat, Shiny Jay, Coop, Dan skinny Miranda, and Tom Schreck didn't get scared away.  Its an all AFC affair today for this unofficial fun-ness.
The pace was honest throughout.  Not gritty, but strong.  I felt decent after a solid 2xrip duathlon this past weekend.  Shweetness.  So I tried to help on the pace.
Going into Race Rd. the rotation kept up almost all the way to the sprint.  AFC guys like to share in the pain.  I caught Sug's wheel and was going pretty deep to hold.  "Should I try to go by?"  I decided to hold the wheel and enjoy a second place.  Snakey Coop had other plans and rocketed by me close to the line.  I needed that.  I was being a panzy and didn't fight around Sug and payed for it.  The effort was good for 3rd so I wasn't crying or anything.
Lawyers and Landing went by without event.
Going down Beechwood THE Jay Lins made his signature fast descent.  He opened a gap up on Sug, Pat, and I.  "Could I catch him on Illy?"  I thought I could but it was going to take some work.
Ilchester time!  Adam and Pat scooted along quickly and caught Jay on the turn into the second hill.  I'm going to guess they let him know that he should keep pressing cause I'm a little ways back.  "Stay cool Lancer", I thought.  "Lancer?".  "Ya, Lancer".  Cool name.
I caught Jay on the second hill section.  He gave me some encouragement that signaled that he had played his card.  I kept pressing and ended up third.
College, New Cut, Hillsborough, was more fun pressing.
Bonnie didn't go crazy.  More strong pulls.  No wild moves.  I wanted the win pretty badly.  Sug was pulling as we entered the sprint zone and I got up next to him.  Pat and Jay Lins were right there.  I decided to get a little wild and long sprint it.  The cranks whirred.  The gap opened, except on Sug.  I knew I was in trouble as we flew past the West's who were cheering us on.  Suggy gonna hurt me.  He won.  Still no complaints here.  And according to Strava I achieved a new max heart rate of 189 (up from 188 on Bonnie previously).  Good for me! ;)
The West's offered beer.  The boring training guy in me said "Hell no!  Beer during WsW?  Ur and idiot."  Mmmmmm, IPA!  Thx West family.  You guys are the best.
More fun times to get to Westchester.  I decided I wanted to get through it ASAP so I just pulled the group into it (lightly) and started my feable attack from the beginning.  Sug and Pat covered it easily and went on their merry way.  Jay Lins caught me and nearly opened a gap but a little life returned to me towards the top and I accelarated to 3rd.
The stoms never came.  The only thing they did was cool the evening off.  Jackpot!
Loved it.

2xrip 2012, AFC comes out in force

2xrip was a blast today.  And AFC is going to raise some awesome money!

The AFC Elite racers of Pat, Adam, Dan Miranda, and I traded punches with the big boys, and came out smiling :)

The day was super humid, but over cast and not too hot.  Pat, Adam, and I got to the race nice and early to get ready for the 7am start.  After the normal checks, all systems were "go".

The pre-race analysis went something like:

Adam (Sug) is the defending champ and course record holder, but Lucas McCullom was signed up and he had beaten both Adam and I at The USAT Long Course Duathlon Age Group National Champs in early June.  Can Sug's insane running and bike fitness overcome Lucas on a hilly/technical course?

Pat used to be quite the multi-athlete.  However in the past few years he has focused on mountain biking and cyclocross.  He had run a little to get ready for this.  Could he summon his running talents of old to make the podium?

I did well here last year (4th).  If you don't count my 2 minute penalty I was the fastest bike leg last year.  Certainly I had run more this year but not as much lately as my attention is leaning towards cyclocross.  Would my fitness from Long course nats carry me to the podium?

Dan Miranda has been tearing it up on the running scene along with Sug and has greatly improved his biking. Would his superior running form and new found bike skills get him to the podium?

"Go!".  The early running pace was strong but nothing too crazy.  Except for a guy in a Virginia Tech skinsuit.  He was really moving.  Dan Miranda was up towards the front.  Adam not too far behind him.  Then Lucas. Then Pat and I.

It was a 2 mile, very hilly loop.  I could tell that I was pushing it a little deep early.  But I wanted to stay close to the front.  By the end of the loop Pat and I were together and a bit off the lead but doing well.

On the bike I felt decent.  Time to catch some of these faster runners.  I didn't have as many people to catch this year because I ran way faster.  But the key was to catch guys and then put gaps between them and me because the second run is twice as long (4 miles) and I need all the cushion I can get ;)

Pat and I rode within site of each other throughout.  If  the pace slacked then one of us would pass the other.  I didn't feel as spunky this year as I did last year but we were definitely moving.  Before the end of the first lap on the 2 loop course we had caught everyone that we were gonna catch.  We had moved into 3rd and 4th position behind Sug and Lucas (but those two were waaaay out of site).  With Sug almost a lock to make the podium we really wanted to get another AFC'r up on the podium with him.

The problem was math.  According to my calculations, we hadn't caught the Virginia Tech fast runner guy until pretty late in the first loop and that meant we were in trouble on the run.  Would we be able to create a big enough gap over lap 2?

The 26 miles flew by fairly quickly.  It seemed like a very long time last year.  Fun will do that.  And mashing the pedals with Pat is just plain fun.  With about 5 miles to go I could see my heart rate dropping despite my near all out effort.  I had used everything.  But I was happy that the "wheels" were starting to come unglued with the finish near.  I had done all I could on the bike.

Based on what I was seeing from Pat, he was not as tanked.  He had been moving consistently through the hills, while I was attacking the hills like an animal.  He was riding smart.

Pat and I came through transition and into the run together.  In a way I was happy.  But I was also dreading the next 4 miles.  Last year had been brutal.  "God I hope this hurts less." ;) 

Pat pressed right away as he always has, consistent and strong.  We knew we were racing for that 3rd podium spot.  We could see that Sug was securely winning the race with at least a 1 minute lead.  Lucas was definitely too far from us to consider chasing.  Who lurked behind?

Just after the 1 mile mark is a turn around.  It was a long downhill.  We wondered aloud what we would see once we turned.  Down the hill.  Sharp 180.  Up the hill.  And then we see him.  The Virginia Tech guy is rolling over the horizon.  He's not very far back.  My heart sank.  Pat gave him a kind "Nice job man!" as we passed one another.  I felt sick.

I tried to rally my innards but my body was in rebellion.  Pat's pace is too much and it's not looking good for either of us holding this guy off despite a sizable (maybe) 30 second lead.  I have to let Pat go and hope he can do it.

A few moments later the Virginia Tech runner comes by me, I can muster a "good job dude!"  This same thing happened to me last year when Adam Forgione passed me.  It kinda sucked but I knew I had to finish off an otherwise great race.

I could watch at various points as Pat's lead shrank.  But there was a time when I thought Pat would get the 3rd place back after being passed.  It was close.

I finished in roughly 1:48.  Definitely better than last year.  I was happy with 5th!  Pat was 4th.  VTech man 3rd.  Go hokies... LOL!

The 2xrip folks did a great job putting on this event.

At the finish I found out that Adam had won and set a new course record by several minutes.  His bike leg was especially impressive at 25+mph.  He did amazingly well.  Pat was 4th, I was 5th and we think Dan was 9th.  Awesome results all around :)

The real winners will be Kupenda for the Children and Extreme Weekend for Diabetes.  2xrip is donating some of it's profits to AFC.  And AFC donates all monies raised to these 2 great causes.  God is good and has blessed us with seeing some fantastic achievements with both ministries!  I can't help but to smile every-time I think about it :)

We race for Him and he's turned our hearts towards them!

My strava output:
First run leg
Bike leg
Second run leg

WsW unofficial stats update 07/13/2012

I didn't make it to Westside Worlds this past Wednesday but unofficial battles ensued. Collin "Bomb Lobber" Becker made an appearance fresh off his win at Tour de Burg so you know the AFC guys wanted to test him. Adam "Sugar Suggy Sug" Driscoll didn't dissappoint, winning all 4 segments and throwing down a new (insane) time for Ilchester (3:29 for the TT segment, 3:42 for the WsW segment). Glorious! Bomb Lobber said: "Adam made me go cross-eyed up Ilchester and I still can't beat him. On that stupid TT bike too!"
Unofficial WsW A group leader board
Unofficial WsW B group leader board
Adam's Strava Data

Westside Worlds, Happy 4th of July!

Unofficial WsW A group leader board
Unofficial WsW B group leader board
Strava Data

This was a hot one folks.  And the start time was different than normal so we had a small group.  But there was plenty of fun to be had :)  Pat was pressing the pace early.  No doubt this is gonna be a suffer fest.  I took some pulls but was playing things conservative after a string of subpar Westside Worlds.  Bruce Cole was also looking strong.  Into Race Rd. we had a solid rotation.  As we approached the end Pat took to the long sprint.  You gotta love this guy's desire to hurt and throw caution to the wind.  I ended up going by him at the end but there was no doubt who the strongest sprinter was.  The heat makes recovery tough so what would happen as the miles pass?  Lawyers was mild.  Bruce, Pat, and I continued to rotate well through Montgomery and Landing.  Landing hurt pretty well.  Towards the end, Al from Kelley's joined the group.  Into Ilchester it became immediately obvious that Pat and Al were battling for first.  Bruce and I pressed together.  We crested to the flat together but I was able to put some sunlight between us and I ended up third (second in the points).  Sug had found us midway through Ilchester and now we were 5 strong.  Pat ended winning the killer duel but he had to bleed for the win against a fresh Al.  College was a suffer fest.  The heat was making the recovery from Ilchester daunting.  For the most part we were together.  Sug pressed New Cut and thankfully Pat let him go.  He was crushing our crushed souls :)  By Bonnie, the fresher Sug went up ahead.  Pat, Bruce, Al, and I traded pulls again.  Pat and Al payed a bit for their killer effort on Ilchester.  I go hard on that thing, but especially Pat can just go to another world of pain.  I took Bonnie among our group in a longish sprint.  Now the heat is getting to us!  Sug met back up with us at the top of Bonnie.  He pulled through Ilchester.  Once again Pat, Bruce and I had to let the mega-watts booty train go.  We limped to Westchester together.  Pat has a race this coming weekend (see his blog linked to in my blog) so he didn't want to crush Westchester.  I still felt decent so I went after Sug and Al who had a sizeable lead.  I was happy to catch Al just past the one lane bridge and was really happy to be able to dig all the way to the end.  Super fun WsW!

Arbutus 10k Tandem craziness!

Arbutus and Catonsville Americans celebrate July 4th all the way.  We kicked off this morning with the Arbutus 10k.  A race that you would think is low key, but it's probably the fastest 10k in the area, all year.  Pat and Lauren Blair and Annie and I hopped onto the tandems.  We were super excited to ride together and watch Sug (Adam Driscoll) and Dan Miranda (AFC!) battle it out with some stiff competition.  The people of Arbutus were out cheering and had their sprinklers spraying onto the course for the runners.  It was awesome!  Sug and Dan were 5th and 6th, both breaking 35 minutes on a super hilly course.  Also our friend Art Wong ran 46 minutes!  God Bless America :)