It is hard to believe that the race starts in exactly two months from now. Training is coming along well and have some big training rides scheduled in April and the beginning of May. These big training rides include 24 hour rides and a 36 hour race-simulation ride where I will ride and sleep as if I was participating in the race. Support crew is still being recruited for these training rides.
There is still a lot to be done before arriving in Oceanside, CA for the race start. Equipment to secure, support vehicle logistics, shipment of equipment to Crew chief, and of course fundraising for the race and for NAMI. Please consider a donation through our secure server at: www.nami.org/raceacrossthewest/racedonate.html.
Preparing a music playlist to try listening to music on the longer training rides to hopefully distract me of thinking too much. Upbeat tunes and some of my favorites makes up the list so far. Race rules allow for riders to listen to a music device with headphones only in one ear and the other earbud either cut off completely or permanently taped and tucked into your jersey.
Focusing on the nutritional aspect of the race now. Finalizing my nutritional needs and what "fuel" that I'm going to be using. The nutritional needs include an intake of around 8000 calories per day. This is going to include electrolyte drinks, Perpetuem (a liquid meal in a bottle), and solid foods including bagels, fruit, yogurt, pizza, pasta, amongst other items.
Stayed tuned for more updates as the race gets closer!!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
How many miles coach?
Training consumes my free time. A specifically formulated training plan by Scott Saifer of Wenzel Coaching helps keep me on task to build my endurance, core strength, and base mileage. During the week my training is structured around certain types of riding to build endurance and strength. Examples of my weekday training includes doing hill intervals, flat intervals, on-bike strength, and simply spinning. The weekday training is specifically centered around time and heart rate zones. As my coach said one day "training value depends on the forces made by your legs, not how fast you go." The weekend training is another story. Weekend rides at this point range anywhere from 140 miles in one day to 24 hour marathon rides.
During the week training can be anywhere from 2-3 hours of time to complete. Add in a day at work, eating, sleeping and my day is pretty well over. Weekend rides can last 10 hours or more depending on distance. Without the direction and support of Scott it would be very difficult to prepare for this race on my own.
In the next two and a half months leading up to the race start my training will continue to intensify. This weekend is my first 24 hour ride covering 240 miles. In April I will do two more 24 hour rides simulating race conditions (including sleeping for a part of that time), and then in early May will be a 36 hour simulation ride as well. This weekend will be the true test of how well my training has gone and how well I'm able to bounce back.
In June it will be necessary to cover 250 miles a day over 4 days to qualify as an official finisher. In recreational cycling the measure of someone's fitness and endurance is finishing a 100 mile ride in one day. How many miles coach??
During the week training can be anywhere from 2-3 hours of time to complete. Add in a day at work, eating, sleeping and my day is pretty well over. Weekend rides can last 10 hours or more depending on distance. Without the direction and support of Scott it would be very difficult to prepare for this race on my own.
In the next two and a half months leading up to the race start my training will continue to intensify. This weekend is my first 24 hour ride covering 240 miles. In April I will do two more 24 hour rides simulating race conditions (including sleeping for a part of that time), and then in early May will be a 36 hour simulation ride as well. This weekend will be the true test of how well my training has gone and how well I'm able to bounce back.
In June it will be necessary to cover 250 miles a day over 4 days to qualify as an official finisher. In recreational cycling the measure of someone's fitness and endurance is finishing a 100 mile ride in one day. How many miles coach??
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
How many of those do I need??
Besides spending the bulk of my "free time", not to be confused with time free, training, there is a myriad of details to attend to in preparation for Race Across the West. Not the least of these is answering the question "how many of those do I need?" Besides getting myself, two bicycles, three support crew, and a vehicle to the starting line in Oceanside, California there are numerous parts and equipment that are needed as well.
When planning on pushing your physical limits and the limits of a bicycle over a 1036 mile route in 92 hours you must plan for any contingency. A sampling of parts and equipment include: spare wheels, brake pads, brake cables, derailleur cables, tires, tubes, clothing (jerseys, base layer shirts, cycling shorts, socks, rain jacket, arm warmers, leg warmers, tights), water bottles, trash bags, fire extinguisher, cloths-pins, tools (pedal tool, bottom bracket wrench, chain tool, allen wrenches, etc), spare batteries, and the list goes on. The support vehicle is essentially a rolling bike shop, mobile repair stand, and rolling food cart.
Race Across the West is an endurance event and as such there are numerous forms that are required to absolve the organizers of any liability should I careen over a guard rail going 50 mph downhill, to ensure that my insurance and my support vehicle insurance is up-to-date, biography information for marketing of the race, proof of age (so I can legally enter into the liability waiver), and more!
Getting me and my crew to the start line is another level of planning. Mandatory pre-race meetings and safety inspections dictates our arrival into Oceanside at least 2-3 days prior to the race start. Flights, excess baggage handling for the bikes, shipping of parts/equipment, hotels, support vehicle and Crew Chief driving in from New Mexico.
All of this requires a logistics expert. Lists are made and modified, new idea's are always popping up on how to handle certain aspects, questions are posed to "veteran's" of the Race Across America. Planning, logistics, and the age old question "how many of those do I need???"
If you want to help with supplying parts or equipment or just plain financial sponsorship visit http://raceacrossthewest.nami.org!
When planning on pushing your physical limits and the limits of a bicycle over a 1036 mile route in 92 hours you must plan for any contingency. A sampling of parts and equipment include: spare wheels, brake pads, brake cables, derailleur cables, tires, tubes, clothing (jerseys, base layer shirts, cycling shorts, socks, rain jacket, arm warmers, leg warmers, tights), water bottles, trash bags, fire extinguisher, cloths-pins, tools (pedal tool, bottom bracket wrench, chain tool, allen wrenches, etc), spare batteries, and the list goes on. The support vehicle is essentially a rolling bike shop, mobile repair stand, and rolling food cart.
Race Across the West is an endurance event and as such there are numerous forms that are required to absolve the organizers of any liability should I careen over a guard rail going 50 mph downhill, to ensure that my insurance and my support vehicle insurance is up-to-date, biography information for marketing of the race, proof of age (so I can legally enter into the liability waiver), and more!
Getting me and my crew to the start line is another level of planning. Mandatory pre-race meetings and safety inspections dictates our arrival into Oceanside at least 2-3 days prior to the race start. Flights, excess baggage handling for the bikes, shipping of parts/equipment, hotels, support vehicle and Crew Chief driving in from New Mexico.
All of this requires a logistics expert. Lists are made and modified, new idea's are always popping up on how to handle certain aspects, questions are posed to "veteran's" of the Race Across America. Planning, logistics, and the age old question "how many of those do I need???"
If you want to help with supplying parts or equipment or just plain financial sponsorship visit http://raceacrossthewest.nami.org!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Welcome - which way to Taos??
I'm officially launching my blog to talk about all the preparation for Race Across the West. Race Across the West is a 1036 mile bicycle race from Oceanside, CA to Taos, NM.
I know that your first thought is skepticism. Trust me when I tell you that I've thought through this long and hard before committing. I've hired a professional coach from Wenzel Coaching to assist in developing my monthly training schedule, to assist in nutritional planning, and other strength building exercise.
You are also very curious as to why a 34 year old male, who sits at a desk all day working, could even think about sitting on a bike for 18+ hours a day for 4 days straight while covering a distance of over 1000 miles! The answer is simply this: to raise awareness about mental illness. People with mental illness are often stigmatized because people simply don't understand it. People with mental illness are your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, even your idols. Great strides have been made in the past few years to bring mental illness out of the darkness. It's my turn to help shine additional light on these diseases.
As an individual who lives daily with bipolar disorder, I want people to see that individuals with mental illness are just like them. We have jobs, we are fathers, we are experts in our fields, we are athletes, we have goals and dreams, and we make a difference.
Learn more by visiting my site at: http://raceacrossthewest.nami.org and stayed tuned to this space for updates with my training progress, sponsors, fundraising and how you can help!
I know that your first thought is skepticism. Trust me when I tell you that I've thought through this long and hard before committing. I've hired a professional coach from Wenzel Coaching to assist in developing my monthly training schedule, to assist in nutritional planning, and other strength building exercise.
You are also very curious as to why a 34 year old male, who sits at a desk all day working, could even think about sitting on a bike for 18+ hours a day for 4 days straight while covering a distance of over 1000 miles! The answer is simply this: to raise awareness about mental illness. People with mental illness are often stigmatized because people simply don't understand it. People with mental illness are your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, even your idols. Great strides have been made in the past few years to bring mental illness out of the darkness. It's my turn to help shine additional light on these diseases.
As an individual who lives daily with bipolar disorder, I want people to see that individuals with mental illness are just like them. We have jobs, we are fathers, we are experts in our fields, we are athletes, we have goals and dreams, and we make a difference.
Learn more by visiting my site at: http://raceacrossthewest.nami.org and stayed tuned to this space for updates with my training progress, sponsors, fundraising and how you can help!
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