Marin Cyclists Newsletter

Marin Cyclists Newsletter
Spring 2007
Table of Contents
(Click on a title to go straight to that article)
From the Editor (Marvin Zauderer) ……………………………………. 2
From the President (Tim McCracken) ………………………………… 3
Cycling News
-- Bike to Work Day (MCBC)……………………………………..… 6
Rides and Riders
-- It’s Saturday (Brandon Desch) ………………………………..… 7
-- Davis 400K and 600K PBP Qualifiers (Curt Simon)………..…. 9
-- Call Me “Lantern Rouge!” (Kevin Foley)……………….……….12
-- Napa Tour De Cure Century (Koji Felton) ……………...…….. 15
-- Riding Roma (Mike Howe)………….……………………….….. 16
-- Chasing Liege (Bob Cullinan) ………………………..…….……19
Training and Safety Tips
-- Coach's Corner (Dario Fredrick) ………………….……….…... 24
-- Eating for Recovery (Tara Coghlin-Dickson) …………………. 29
-- Is Your Helmet Safe? (Pete Harris) ………………………...…. 31
-- Train Your Mind: Managing Emotions (Marvin Zauderer).…... 34
Announcements
-- Ride Leaders Needed ……………………………………..……. 39
-- Mike’s Bikes Discount ………………………………………...... 39
5 Cool Links ………….…………………………………………………. 40
Marin Cyclists Contacts …………………………………………………41
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From the Editor
by Marvin Zauderer ([email protected])
Welcome to the seventh issue of our quarterly e-newsletter.
Our fearless leader, Tim McCracken, first brings us up to date on club
happenings, including the latest on the Marin Century. After MCBC gives
us the scoop on this week’s Bike To Work Day and other events, we have
a truly stellar lineup of Rides and Riders. Brandon Desch relates his
experiences riding as a new dad; Curt Simon and Kevin Foley give us a
window into qualifying for the 750-mile Paris-Brest-Paris ride; Koji Felton
writes about the Napa Tour de Cure; and Mike Howe and Bob Cullinan
threaten to turn us all green with envy with their accounts of European
riding.
In our Training and Safety section, local coach Dario Fredrick introduces
us to training with a heart rate monitor, Tara Coghlin-Dickson educates us
on eating for post-ride recovery, and Pete Harris relates his discoveries on
helmet safety. And, yours truly adds some tips on Mental Training.
Plus, don’t miss the Announcements and the 5 Cool Links.
Thanks to all of you who contributed articles that were used, articles that
weren’t used (yet), and suggestions. Your comments and article ideas are
welcome. Happy reading!
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From the President
by Tim McCracken
Here we are in the spring of 2007. There are many very exciting events
happening for the Marin Cyclists. Our devoted volunteers have been
working their collective fingers to the bone! In April Monique du Bois
pulled off a very successful event at the Iron Springs Brew Pub. The day
started out with two fantastic rides followed by the Paris-Roubaix bike race
on two televisions, delicious hors d'oeuvres and nice company all around.
Thanks very much Monique!
Michael Sexton and the planning team members are working hard
preparing for the 2007 Marin Century. Thanks to the efforts of Nancy Bell,
Marlene Berro and Curt Simon, we have several new sponsors on board
including WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes), St. Francis Sports Medicine, Clif
Bar and FSA (Full Speed Ahead – bike components). This is very exciting
to say the least. Pete Harris is busy organizing the expo area while
Heather MacKenzie is working on some terrific ideas for the Start/Finish
area; this year’s event promises to be the best ever. Dan Lyke is in
charge of organizing the army of volunteers that will make this year’s ride
happen. We have plenty of volunteer opportunities left, please contact
Dan at: [email protected] to let us know how you can help and the
dates and times that you will be available.
Curt Simon and Rebecca McClellan are leading the charge for this year’s
Paris-Brest-Paris ride. There are several club members who are training
for the Paris-Brest-Paris race this coming fall. Included in this elite group
are: Curt Simon, Rebecca McClellan, Kevin Foley, Susan and Barley
Forsman and Joe Zimmerman. The club is helping to sponsor this team, if
you would like to assist them please contact Curt Simon at:
[email protected]
Here is how the ride is described on http://www.rusa.org/pbp.html:
The Next Paris-Brest-Paris is August 20-24, 2007 -First run in 1891, the 1200-kilometer
Paris-Brest-Paris, or "PBP" as it is commonly called, is a grueling test of human
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endurance and cycling ability. Organized every four years by the host Audax Club
Parisien, the Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneurs is the oldest bicycling event still run on a
regular basis on the open road. Beginning on the southern side of the French capital, it
travels west 600 kilometers to the port city of Brest on the Atlantic Ocean and returns
along the same route. Today's randonneur cyclists, while no longer riding the primitive
machines used a hundred years ago over dirt roads or cobblestones, still have to face
up to rough weather, endless hills, and pedaling around the clock. A 90-hour time limit
ensures that only the hardiest randonneurs earn the prestigious PBP finisher's medal
and have their name entered into the event's "Great Book" along with every other
finisher going back to the very first PBP. To become a PBP ancien (or ancienne for the
ladies) is to join a very elite group of cyclists who have successfully endured this
mighty challenge. No longer a contest for professional racing cyclists (whose entry is
now forbidden), PBP evolved into a timed randonnée or brevet for hard-riding amateurs
during the middle part of the 20th century. The event is held in August every four years.
Monique du Bois and Jeff Tse are organizing individual time trial events
leaving from Nicasio periodically on Wednesday evenings. This is really
fun. Please come out and test yourself against the course. Check the
web-site or contact Jeff Tse for more information: [email protected].
Want to become a better climber? Want to hang with the pack on longer
rides? Have questions about how to build your power or speed? Marin
Cyclists member Marvin Zauderer has volunteered to provide free e-mail
mentoring to club members. Marvin is a USA Cycling Level 2 Coach at
Whole Athlete (http://www.wholeathlete.com/coach_marvin.htm), a
performance center in San Anselmo that provides a comprehensive set of
coaching, testing, fitting, and consulting services to amateur and
professional athletes. Contact him at [email protected] if you’re
interested.
I look forward to seeing you all out on the road very soon.
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Tim is the Vice President of Panoramic Software, Inc. and also the President of the
Marin Cyclists Road Club. He volunteers as an assistant coach for the Drake High
Mountain Bike team, is a Cat 4 road racer and races in the 45 to 49 Sport class for
mountain bikes.
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Cycling News
Bike to Work Day is May 17
Have more fun on your commute! The Marin County Bicycle Coalition
(MCBC) has several events to get people excited about riding their bikes
and to learn about bicycling’s benefits for personal health, traffic reduction,
and our environment. Check out what’s available:
Through May 16, take advantage of the Bike Safety Checkup Offer at
participating bike shops. For $10, get a mini tuneup: chain lubrication, tire
inflation, safety assessment and recommendations. This is not a full
tuneup.
Don’t be left in the dust! May’s Team Bike Challenge is underway. Form a
team of 2-5 and track your transportation trips for prizes. Marin has 10
teams so far and the goal this year is 15! Register your team at 511.org.
In the spirit of friendly competition, the Town of Fairfax has organized its
Team PSYCHE (Public Servants Yearning to Curb Hazardous Emissions)
and is determined to be the regional winner this year. Team Captain Ian
Roth was on Marin’s winning team last year which only lost by 1 point.
The Town’s team consists of Mayor Larry Bragman, Finance Director Ian
Roth, Planning and Building Director Ann Welsh, Administrative Assistant
Susan Waters, and Town Manager Linda Kelly.
BIKE TO WORK DAY itself is Thursday, May 17. There will be 14
Energizer Stations throughout Marin in the morning. An end-of-day party
will be held from 4-6 PM at Paradigm Cycles in San Anselmo.
Go to http://www.marinbike.org/Events/BTWD2007/Index.shtml for
complete Bike to Work Day details or contact Jo Ann Richards, MCBC
Bike to Work Day Coordinator, at 415-456-3469 x7# or
[email protected].
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Rides and Riders
It’s Saturday
By Brandon Desch
It’s Saturday, sunny, and I’m not riding. I won’t be riding tomorrow, either.
It’s not because my bike is in the shop. It’s down in the garage with a
sheet draped over it in an attempt to preserve its like-new condition. It’s a
2006 Scott CR1, outfitted with Ultegra 10 that I bought at the end of
August last year. Since bringing it home, I’ve logged easily less than 500
miles on it. Not the wear of an elite cyclist, which I’ve never been. But I
have spent a fair amount of time in the saddle over the past few years, and
would describe myself as an avid cyclist. I commute to work by bike –
from Sausalito to San Francisco, getting in about 40 miles during the
week. I don’t ride the Scott on the commute for fear of it getting dinged up
in the rack at work. I ride my old Marin – the first of its kind when Marin
debuted their road bikes back in the late 90s. It’s nowhere near as
smooth, precise or prestigious, but it works my legs and my lungs and
reminds me how free it feels to ride your bike.
I bought the Scott in what some might see as a mid-life crisis: my wife was
pregnant and due to give birth to our first child in a month and I was
approaching my 38th birthday. I didn’t buy it like a man buys a zippy red
sports car as a way to hold on to, or recapture his youth. Since I’d been
pushing through club rides on the Marin, I bought the Scott to fulfill a
dream I’d had for the previous 4 years – to seriously research and buy a
high-end bike and find out what a real machine could do. I was trying to
hold on to something … with my child’s birth looming, I knew my time
would never again fully be mine. But if I could hold on to one thing,
recognizing that the rest would have to take a back seat (such as rock
climbing, spur-of-the-moment backpacking trips, and carefree jaunts to
Napa to buy a case of wine I really didn’t need) I felt I could maintain some
connection to personal freedom. So, against my normally conservative
better judgment, knowing the money could be better utilized in a 529
college savings plan, I plunked down a few thousand for the Scott.
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And this weekend it sits in my garage and a bit more dust gathers on its
carbon weave. And I’m ok with it. Because today I got to spend 5 hours
with my daughter, Ivy, and see her smile from ear to ear when the cat’s tail
brushed her cheek. And I know that next weekend I’ll be free to ride
through Fairfax, over Whites Hill and out to Point Reyes Station where my
wife will meet me in our new family wagon with our beautiful little girl. My
time will likely be slower than last year’s, but my sense of freedom will be
stronger. And the smile Ivy will give me will feel even better than a
personal best.
Brandon is a Bay Area native who recently settled in the wonderful cycling community
of Marin with his wife, Eliza, and their 7 1/2 month daughter, Ivy. He enjoys commuting
over the Golden Gate on weekdays into San Francisco where he's an HR Director for
MarketTools, a company that develops software and services for gathering and
analyzing consumer insights. Beyond the commute, Brandon manages to sneak in 2030 mile rides one day most weekends during Ivy's naps and has successfully gotten his
wife hooked on watching pro cycling (see photo above as proof!).
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Davis 400K and 600K PBP Qualifiers
By Curt Simon
The road to France for the 2007 1200K Paris/Brest/Paris race goes
through a series of increasingly long qualifying rides. The 200K and 300K
rides were uneventful but the 400 (260 miles) and 600 (375 miles) rides
this year have had their moments.
On the 400K we started with 150 other souls and were lucky enough to
jump on with our perpetual tandem heroes, Jennie and Craig and ride their
wheel for the first 60 miles. We had the thrill of a lifetime when another
terrorist, Reid Lawrence, got a flat and because J/C courteously stopped
to wait for him, we were the first bike into the 90-mile check point.
The rain had started when we pulled out of the Davis parking lot at 6AM. It
rained steadily until noon, when substantial headwinds started and the sun
came out. We were still in 3rd place, 10 minutes behind J/C and a hardy
soul on a ½ bike when the first of two drive side spokes broke and we had
to retrue the wheel beside the road. Then we missed our turn off of
Silverado Trail back onto 128 to Monticello Dam. We continued 15 miles
farther on Silverado until someone invited us into their house to Google a
map and figure out how to get back on course. We turned up 121 in
another, now driving rain, for a long, circuitous climb and both of us
thought about quitting because we were completely wet and shivering in
spite of our exertions and were concerned about hyperthermia with no one
knowing where we were. Just as we were really preparing to abandon we
came to the junction of 121/128 and saw fellow riders who had been as
much as 2-3 hours behind us.
The rain stopped briefly and we dried out but started again on Cardiac Hill.
When we got to Monticello Dam, the last check point, we got into a car to
dry our hands enough to stop shaking from cold and then set off, again, as
fast and as hard as we could to get back to the start/finish at Davis. We
had a retinue of Kling-ons on our wheel and we rolled in at 1130, 17.5
hours from the start, 290 miles under our belts with 260 being the true
course, but at least we were qualified to go on to the 600K.
The 600K started at 8PM at night, again with about 120 riders, most of
whom were Paris bound, including our fellow Marin Cyclists, Kevin Foley
and Joe Zimmerman. J/C were a no show because Jennie had gotten
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stomach cramps prior to the start and wound up in an emergency room
getting a shot of morphine. That meant it was up to Rebecca to push/pull
the train and me to steer. The start was fast, maybe too fast, and our GPS
failed almost immediately leaving us to guess at our heart rates and mph.
Within 60 miles we were down to us, another tandem and 5-6 fellow
revelers and we blasted through the very cold night eating granola bars
and Hammergel. The check-ins were every 40 to 75 miles so food
management was critical. On rides like this you steadily build a calorie
deficit; controlling it until you can refuel is key to being able to continue.
The other critical factor is not being killed by a drunk leaving or going to a
bar late at night. We had an interesting experience at 2AM. A bonehead in
a pickup truck passed our group on a turn at an extremely high rate of
speed, lost control of his vehicle slid into the embankment which kicked
the truck across the road where he hit a pole on the other side of the road.
The car died; he restarted the car without even looking at the damage
which must have been extensive, and continued down the road.
We got to Ukiah at 630AM, ate some oatmeal, slept for 10 minutes and
then headed over the Boonville Grade for the turnaround at mile 190. It
was still bitterly cold and Rebecca’s knees began to give out on the climb.
She always has aching knees on longish rides but they are usually kept
usable with Ibuprofen. This time there was stabbing pain and she couldn't
push on the pedals. By the time we got back to Ukiah and started the 10
mile climb up Mountain House grade her pain was continuous and we
feared that she was going to do long term damage to herself.
At PBP, in 2003 we were worried that her Achilles’ tendons were going to
give out when her ankles swelled to almost double their normal size up
and we didn’t want another experience like that. I had developed saddle
sores and wanted to stand as much as possible which created a problem
in that I couldn’t sit and she couldn’t stand. She was fine when walking,
which we tried a several times, but as soon as she got back on the bike
and pushed at all on the pedals on either leg the pain was back. I tried
pedaling for both of us but my forte is steering for her and keeping her
company; not being the muscle and that effort was doomed.
At one juncture we were off the bike with Joe (Beau Brummel)
Zimmerman, reading our map at an intersection when a geriatric lost
control of her car at a Y in the road and started skidding broadside towards
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us. At the last minute her car tires grabbed and she drove past us.
Otherwise she would have hit all 3 of us broadside and killed us.
We struggled on until mile 300 at Calistoga at 7PM and then decided to
abandon, not wanting to endanger Rebecca’s future as a professional
cage wrestler. It took us 41/2 hours to get a ride to the Capple School, the
last check point, in a pickup truck with the tandem, get a ride from the
school to Davis in a small car, without the tandem, and pick up our van to
go back to the Capple school to pick up our bike. From there we went over
121, the road we took to get back on track on the 400, and were home by
130.
I thought the drivers in Mendocino were the rudest I have ever ridden
around. Kids in cars were yelling at us. The trucks were passing at
dangerous spots and everyone was driving way too fast.
Joe Zimmerman, resplendent in new bicycle clothes, blazed the course
and was one of the first finishers in. Kevin Foley, complete with enough
tools to repair any mishap and enough clothing to make a Goodwill store
envious, had a very luxurious ride and rolled into the finish in fine health.
Congratulations and good luck to both of them. They are on their way to
Paris!
Curt Simon has been a Marin Cyclist for 15 years. He rides for pleasure and trains so that he can k
up with his wife, Rebecca, however delusional that goal may be.
Call Me "Lantern Rouge"!
by Kevin Foley
The Davis 600km (just multiply by .62 to get miles) route goes over the
famed Cardiac Hill and the hills that divide Fairfield from Sonoma County.
Leaving at 20:00 on Friday 5/4/07 guaranteed we would be quite tired,
riding through the night. The sun had long set when I got to the first
control: Cappell Valley School (23:30 5/4/07). The sunset that first evening
was like a blanket going over me on a cool night. I'd been here before,
night-riding. I felt, "yah, it's all good". I had plenty of water and food with
me, but my saddle made me squirm a lot, I think it was set too high! (This
would cause a mild knee issue in the last 70 miles.)
The route eventually snakes through the hills between Davis and into the
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Sonoma Valley; it is level (pretty much) to the next control, Calistoga
(01:49, Saturday 5/5/07). The night was quiet throughout, except for the
few party animals whooping it up. I began to dilly-dally a bit too much here,
so up the Silverado Trail I went (a virtual highway through wineries) and
eventually up to Cloverdale. A mini-mart became a stop-over for many of
us, feasting on chocolate milk and pastries. Having been through this
whole area several times now on brevets and other rides, it was quite
reassuring to ride these familiar roads, especially since it was still
quite dark. Nonetheless, all the fun would begin soon in the hills that
separate the Alexander Valley from Ukiah-Cloverdale.
This route is tough, no matter which way you slice it, getting over this set
of hills is no cake-walk. We'd be climbing these hills several times to
squeeze every last ounce our legs had in us before we could even finish
the last 140+ miles. I felt the route was definitely more difficult than the
San Francisco Randonneur's 600 km I had done before. In this ride, you
go up Highway 128 (chug-chug) and make a right on Mountain House
Road and go back down towards Hopland then to Ukiah (arrival: 08:55
5/5/07). Fortunately for me, it's not too bad as I've done it before on the
San Francisco 400 km not long ago. But nooooooot so fast. You then go
up Highway 253, up the Ukiah-Boonville Road over to Boonville. This is a
long climb, not brutal like Fort Ross Road, just very long and relentless.
Wait! Joy! The Booneville Beer Festival was happening w/ $5-all the beer
you can drink! And it was Cinco de Mayo. And it was the title fight the
world was waiting for--Oscar de la Mayo (Hoya) vs. Elmer Fudd (or
someone). Drunks and close calls everywhere! Not exactly perfect cycling
companions. I was headed directly out to Paul Dimmick (13:07 5/5/07)
Campground in Mendocino County with a little headwind and 60 miles
behind the leaders of the pack! The whole contingent was between
Boonville and Paul Dimmick Campground on their way back. When we
returned through Boonville, we were just in time to catch the early drunks
yelling at us climbing up the hill out of the Alexander Valley on the same
Ukiah-Boonville Rd to Ukiah (the second time into Ukiah; 17:50 05/05/07).
Delicious soup and cheesey-ham sandwiches waited for us. During the
whole event, every stop had all the powders, lotions, pills, PB&J, bananas,
nuts, cookies, pretzels, juices, sodas that any card-carrying randonneur
could hope for. Ukiah even had showers and rooms! I took a shower, ate
and waited and waited and waited for the other two guys to be ready. I
headed south to Hopland and the final giant climb, up Mtn House Road in
reverse to Highway 128, back down to Cloverdale, (22:40), where
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wonderful stew awaited us! Oh yum! Ahead was the long slog back down
to Calistoga (~02:30) where we thought a Shell mini-mart was open.
By now, we were very sleepy. I began to hallucinate mildly. I thought I saw
a tree extend its tree-hand towards me and wave it. Yikes! Time to get off
the bike, stretch, drink and eat. Break the pattern. The cold, damp ground
looked mighty good. By Hopland, I was starting to hit my secret weapon,
Coca-Cola, at any mini-mart and looked forward to Calistoga: putting my
head down for 5, drinking coffee and going, but it was closed! Sad! A local
lady offered to cook us up anything we wanted but had no coffee.
Someone in our group thought that would lead us into a time warp we
couldn't escape from and thanked her for the offer. We all slept in front of a
closed laundromat for a few minutes (15 min.?) and pushed on to Capell
Valley School, fighting sleep all the way (05:45).
There, the pod-enclosed riders stayed in hibernation, and I joined them for
~1.25 hrs until the leaders woke me up, gently reminding me I had 5+ hrs.
to go the remaining 45 mi. over Cardiac Hill and the ranges back towards
Vacaville-Winters-Davis after one receipt control stop ~10 mi. from the
start/finish. Nice riding partners I chose, they let me sleep at Capell Valley
School! I woke up confused and panicky. After coming to my senses and
doing a little math to determine how much time I really had, I took off
alone, and probably did my best and certainly felt my best since the
beginning, assuming a good pace. After a while, I realized I was still very
sleepy and at one point looked down past my big ring to the ground and
hallucinated, seeing animal crackers! So, I got off and rested. Shortly
afterwards, SAG wagon came by and gave me a Coke, water and a bar. I
instantly felt better and took off, meeting Joe Gross, who had developed a
nasty case of Shermer's neck. I hope he gets better quick! The ride just
before Davis was the nicest; I met up w/ Charley Jonas and Bob
Pompeani at the "receipt control" at 09:42. Together we rode the last few
miles getting in shortly before 11 am, almost earning us the title, "Lantern
Rouge", or "red lantern", like on the last railroad car, or caboose.
That's it. I've qualified for PBP. This was a very difficult effort and the
20:00 start made it brutal. I honestly don't want to do the route again, given
a choice, at that start time. By the second night, I was completely sleepy
and needed lots of rest. Now, after two days of rest, I think to myself, "Two
nights and 2.5 days of riding, argh!" More importantly, I am so proud of all
the friends and family that supported me along the way, even
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the ones who recommended interventional techniques to bring me back
from such a ruinous self-deluding pre-occupation with fatigue, hunger,
thirst and pain.
Finally, I can start thinking of how to use those College of Marin French
language lessons in earnest...En ce moment, je suis fatigué et ai un grand
désir à être mon voyage à PBP. Merci beaucoups, mon amis! A bientot!
Bonne route et bonne chance! Until then... 'Allons y!'
Kevin is the submissive half of a set of parental units to a smarty-pants 13 yr old in Mill
Valley. Most of his biking miles come from his commute on a 20 yr old Bridgestone
MTB to his work site in Alameda 2 to 3 times a week.
Napa Tour de Cure Century
By Koji Felton
On May 6, 2007 the American Diabetes Association held their annual Tour
de Cure ride in Napa. The day was very warm, but not the stifling Napa
heat I have sometimes experienced in the wine country. I heard there
were a total of about 2,500 riders with mileage options ranging from 25
miles to 100 miles. The largest corporate team contingent was
my employer, Charles Schwab & Co., with about 150 riders. This is a
great event that benefits an even greater cause -- providing treatment and
finding a cure for diabetes.
I rode the 100 mile course, which was flat and fast, with one small hill on
128 from Calistoga over to Geyserville. Total climbing for the ride was
about 1300 feet. I had done some training for the ride over the past
month, but I was riding with a friend who is an excellent cyclist and helped
me push my limit. The morning took us up Route 29 through charming
wine country towns like Yountville and St. Helena. Then over the
aforementioned hill and through the Alexander Valley wine country in
Sonoma. Here we stopped for one of the five rest stops, which were well
stocked with bananas, bagels, PB and J, Sport Beans and energy bars.
The vibe was very friendly among riders, townspeople and of course the
heroic volunteers providing support. On the negative side, my friend and I
were passed by a large bus on the way back through Calistoga, and
several hundred yards later came upon an accident scene in which one of
our fellow riders had been hit by the very same bus. Luckily, the rider was
okay, although he did have blood on his leg; and his bike was totally
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trashed. A very bad way to end his day.
The best part of the ride was Silverado Trail, where we passed many fine
wineries and caught a friendly tail wind heading south toward Yountville.
My friend ended up pulling me most of the latter part of the trip, and my
hamstring cramped up on the last leg of the trip heading into the Yountville
Veterans home start/finish. All in all a great ride and a great day, although
I need to do more high cadence training rides with others to get into better
shape. I am doing the Tahoe Century in June, and the air is thinner and
the hills are steeper.
Also, I learned from a friend of mine doing the 50-mile ride that Greg
LeMond was in his group of riders at the start. Props to Greg for
supporting important causes like this. I strongly encourage riders next
year to do this well supported, ultra-scenic ride in our backyard and
contribute to an important cause.
Koji Felton lives in Larkspur with his wife Jeanne and two kids Peter and Lena. He can
often be found training for centuries on the roads of west Marin, or riding the trails with
his son Peter, who races in the NorCal High School Mountain Biking League.
Riding Roma
By Mike Howe
For those of us who have had the opportunity to ride our bikes in Italy most
would say that riding in Rome is a bad idea. Over the years I have ridden
in Italy but never in Rome because of the traffic, Italian drivers and the
ever-present cobblestones.
As I was planning to spend the month of April in Rome I decided to see if I
could rent a good road bike and try to stay in shape. After a search of the
Internet and talking to a couple of friends who have rented in Rome I came
up with a couple of good rental companies. One is Randotrek
(www.randotrek.com) and the other Cicli Lazzaretti Roma.
As the apartment we rented was only a 15-minute walk to the Lazzaretti
bicycle shop, they rent new Pinarello bikes equipped with high end
Campagnola gruppo, and they were extraordinarily accommodating, I
decided to rent from them. Their English is marginal and as I do not speak
Italian, there was a lot of pointing, guessing and mispronunciation. I found
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their willingness to adjust the bike to my requirements and to assist me
with suggested rides to be great – very nice folks.
Randotrek deserves consideration as they will deliver and pick up the bike
at your Rome residence. Further, Randotrek folks are English speakers
which makes both scheduling and sizing as well as assistance once you
have your bike simple if you do not speak Italian.
Now it is important to note that the riders I spoke to regarding renting a
bicycle in Rome reminded me that they did not ride their rented bikes nor
would they recommend riding in Rome. The reasons they felt riding in
Rome was crazy included there was way too much traffic (cars,
motorcycles, scooters, ATV’s and more), Italian drivers are terrible and
they are overly aggressive. As I have ridden both bicycles and
motorcycles in Italy I basically disagree with the assessment that Italians
are bad drivers.
The fact is, I find Italian drivers to be far better than U.S. drivers. There is
no doubt that they are aggressive, they do not drive according to our rules
(some may think any rules), and they fill every empty space on the road.
This fact also means by necessity they have to be far more attentive than
U.S. drivers. No matter if you are riding a motorcycle at 180 kph on the
Autostrada or riding a bicycle on Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome, I have
found all vehicle operators to be focused on the road and their
surroundings. Yes, they are “plugged-in” just like we are, talking on cell
phones, smoking and commenting on other riders and drivers. However,
as they must be attentive to their surroundings all of the time, I have found
riding on Italian roads a challenge but not impossible.
So what about the traffic in Rome? It is terrible, admittedly. However if
you scope out the major arteries in terms of where you are staying and
pick the right time to ride (start at 7 AM or earlier), you can ride out of the
City and find wonderful countryside roads. Once on the road just follow
the flow and fill the empty spaces, because if you don’t, a 4 or 2 wheel
vehicle will.
The cobblestones are a pain but we watch the professionals ride along the
cobblestone roads all the time, don’t we? So why can’t we ride these?
First, they basically shake your teeth out, particularly if you typically ride
with your tire inflation at 110psi and above. Second, sometimes the
16
spacing between the cobblestones is 2” or more and can cause some
anxious moments. I found that as long as I kept my tire pressures
between 80 and 90psi and kept my speed above 12 mph, it was not too
bad.
Now let’s explore where best to ride. After talking to the folks at
Lazzaretti’s and other local riders I found that riding north to leave the City
was the best route. The first week I rode the bike trail that parallels the
Fiume Tevere (Tevere River that runs through Rome), The trail is on the
west side of the river. It is a mixed bag riding on this trail as it is a
combination of cobblestones (mainly), gravel, dirt and pavement; and as
the homeless folks who sleep in this area tend to congregate under the
bridges it tends to be somewhat congested and there is a lot of broken
glass strewn over the trail.
After the first week I rode out via the one way that parallels the Tevere
North and returned on the road that parallels the Tevere heading South.
Both roads are very congested but they move well as long as you keep up
with traffic (between 18 and 24 mph). Whether you ride the trail or road
you should head for Via Flaminia which takes you out of the City. You can
access Flaminia from the trail by getting off of the trail at Ponte (bridge) del
Risorgimento or Ponte Flaminia. Once on Flaminia I headed north out of
town and turned off on country roads. The best one that I found was Via
Tiberina which follows the Tevere and is a wonderfully scenic rolling road.
Following this route you can ride out and back covering from 40 to 60
miles.
Rome does have a bicycle map – Mappa delle Piste ciclabili di Roma. But
it is hard to find. Although corner newsstands are supposed to have these
maps I never found one that did. I found one at a Borders like bookstore
for 11,50 Euros (that worked out to be about $15.50 at the exchange rate
in April). Buy this map as it will help you navigate in and outside of Rome.
This is the only map that provided a view of the roads for areas in and out
of Rome.
Riding a bike in Rome gives you the flavor of the incredibly diverse
communities of the City. It also is a great way to see the multitude of
parks and gardens that are open to the public. Rome is perfect for us 2wheelers if you are willing to get out there and fill those empty spaces!
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Oh by the way, I did manage to stay in shape (actually lost 4 lbs), ate
everything put in front of me (the food is great but better in Florence and
Venice), and walked every day to wherever we were going (after I had
scoped it out first on my bike). Rome is, a great walking and riding city.
The weather was incredible, never below 70 degrees (which is
unseasonably warm for April), and the City is one of the best in the world
at hosting foreign tourists interested in the history and culture of Rome.
Most importantly Romans are warm, interesting and incredibly welcoming.
Mike Howe has lived in San Geronimo with his wife Linda since 1976 and recently
joined Stanford University as the Chair of the National Task Force On Community
Leadership. He has been an avid bicyclist since the mid 80’s riding both road and
mountain bikes, and is the current Chair of the Marin Bicycle Advisory Group.
Chasing Liege
By Bob Cullinan
[Reprinted from PezCyclingNews: www.pezcyclingnews.com]
You haven’t lived until you’ve seen one of the European spring Classics
up-close-and-personal. My pals at Pez Cycling News sent me to Belgium
last month, to pre-ride the route and then report on the pros in the LiegeBastogne-Liege classic. I joined a group guided by Velo Classic Tours
leaders Peter and Lisa Easton. They know all the ins-and-out of this part of
Belgium, and thanks to them, we all had a great day chasing Liege.
7:45am – We pile into the van and set out from the Hotel Romantik Val
d’Ambleve in Stavlot, our home for the past three days. Liege is less than
an hour away, and it’s about two hours to the start of the race.
8:40am - Pete pilots the Velo Classic Tour van, and finds us a primo
parking spot about a quarter mile from the starting line. Sweet!
8:50am – Exactly one hour before the start, and the first rider we see is
Aussie Cadel Evans. He’s mobbed as soon as he pops his head out of the
Predictor-Lotto van.
9:20am – Jurgen Van de Walle reveals one of his QuickStep team
secrets. When they did their recon rides on the L-B-L course earlier this
week, they did all of the nasty hill climbs with a 39-19 gearing. Yup…they
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used a 19-tooth rear gear to get up the Stockeu, La Redoute and the Cote
de Wanne in training. But in the race, they’ll put a 23 on their rear
cassette…that’ll make everything seem a lot easier. Yeah, OK. For the
record…when Pete led us up those same climbs, most of us were using a
34-27 combination. And we were hurtin’.
9:40am – World Champ Paolo Bettini gets a good luck kiss from his wife.
Team boss Patrick Lefevere tells me that “this race is very important for
Paolo.” Translated: He wants to win this one…badly.
9:50am – The horn blows, the race is on and we scramble back to the
Velo Classic van. Next stop…Soy (the town, not the bean).
11:00am – We settle into Soy, and Pete leads us to a primo viewing spot.
He bumps into his old friend Scott Sunderland, the CSC team director
sportif. Scott tells Pete that Frank Schleck is racing with a broken neck.
Frank cracked a vertebrae when he crashed at the Amstel Gold last week.
He’s in a helluva lot of pain, but he wants to ride. And he wants to win.
11:28am – We see the first riders. Four guys are in a breakaway, but
nobody thinks they’ll make it to the finish. The big names are all sitting in
the pack and waiting.
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11:45am – The peleton finally arrives in Soy, some 17 minutes after the
lead group of four. Bettini nurses a bottle he picked up in the feed zone.
11:50am – We hustle back to the van, and Pete’s wife Lisa damn near
gets run over by some over-amped Euro photog driving a convertible Audi.
We debate whether or not to chase her down and pummel her with water
bottles, but why bother?
Noon: Pete makes a mid-course correction. Instead of bolting for Bastogne
and then hoping to get back to Stavelot in time to see the guys go up the
Stockeu, he decides to take us to Houffalize and see ‘em climb the wicked
14% grade of the Cote de St. Roch. Good call.
12:45pm – Out of the crowd, I hear, “Hey, do you work for Pez?” I
introduce myself to Bret Dunbar from Houston. He tells me that he’s
always wanted to go on one of the Velo Classic tours. I introduce him to
Pete, and Bret starts his planning for next year’s classics season.
1:13 – The gang of four still lead the race, with Euskatel’s Unai Etxebaria
leading the bunch into Houffalize.
1:30 – The peleton is still trailing by 17 minutes as they start the climb up
the St Roch.
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1:35 – I get delayed in Houffalize, and I’m late back to the van. My bad.
Pete is not pleased, but I’m forgiven. Pete breaks only a few Belgian
speed limit rules and gets us into Stevelot with plenty of time to spare.
2:29 – The breakway is surviving, but their lead is down to 13 minutes as
they come down into Stavelot from the top of the Cote du Wanne.
2:42 It’s a wicked hairpin turn as mass of riders gear down for the assault
up the Stockeu. CSC’s Nicki Sorensen busts his rear derailleur right at the
bottom of the climb.
2:45pm - They’ve survived the St. Roch and wailed down the Wanne…but
a handful of guys pack it in right at the base of the Stockeu. Bouygues
Telecom’s Erki Putsep bails, and he tosses me his team water bottle as he
hops into the car. Too bad for him, but I get some great schwag to take
back to Marin.
2:50pm – Maybe the best spot in Stavelot is in a sidewalk café, at the
bottom of the descent off the Stockeu. Belgian beer and frites…warm
weather…and the world’s best bike racers zoomin’ by. It can’t get much
better.
3:00pm – We assemble back at the Hotel Romantik Val d’Ambleve to
watch the rest of the race on the big-screen TV. How civilized. Everybody
picks their favorite, and we all wager five euros on the outcome. I’m
backing Bettini, and it’s looking good as they come off of La Redoute. But
then Stefan Schumacher goes off the front…he pops and we watch Frank
Schleck and Danilo Di Luca battle to the line. Di Luca takes the win,
Alejandro Valverde is second and Schleck is third. Bettini…my pick…ends
up in fourth. Damn.
I guess his good luck kiss didn’t help. And I kiss my five euros goodbye.
But what a way to end the day…and the week…at Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
21
Ace reporter Bob Cullinan is a media and marketing consultant in San Rafael. He
became a cyclist after 25 years of running and racing left him with knees that could no
longer take the pounding. His annual goal is to put more miles on his bike than on his
car.
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************************************
Training and Safety Tips
Coach's Corner: The Heart of the Matter (Part 1)
By Dario Fredrick
One of the easiest and most effective ways to monitor training intensity is
by measuring heart rate. The heart rate monitor has become a common
tool for cyclists but its effectiveness depends on understanding the heart
rate response to exercise. In this first article of two parts we will examine
the basics of heart rate and the various factors that influence its response.
Heart Rate Defined
The heart is basically a pump that actively moves blood throughout the
body. During exercise, blood is used to transport oxygen and fuel to
working muscles, to regulate temperature, to transport signaling chemicals
(hormones) regulating system functions, and to remove waste. Each
heartbeat expels a certain amount of blood. This output of blood is
measured as stroke volume (SV), while heart rate (HR) is simply the
number of heartbeats per minute (bpm). The total output of the heart,
called cardiac output (Q), is the product of these two measures, stroke
volume and heart rate (Q = SV x HR). Cardiac output varies with exercise
intensity and temperature changes and is commonly regulated by altering
heart rate.
Thinking About Heart Rate
The best way to think about heart rate in cycling is not as an absolute or
direct measure of intensity, but as a floating, gradual response. Heart rate
is a variable feedback mechanism to muscular work. The muscular work of
pedaling a bicycle can be most directly defined as workload, or angular
force (torque) and frequency (cadence). The product of torque and
cadence is power (Torque x Cadence = Power). Power measured in watts
is a direct measure of cycling workloads.
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However, power alone does not tell us how hard the body has to work to
produce a particular workload, only that it is producing that workload. This
is where heart rate becomes a valuable tool. Heart rate is the body’s
response to a given workload, representing how hard the cardiovascular
system is working to meet workload demands. Yet this response is not
always a real-time gauge, and it can vary significantly depending on a
number of factors. Understanding how and why different factors affect
heart rate will allow the cyclist to best apply this measure to training.
Factors Affecting Heart Rate
There are numerous immediate factors that affect heart rate during
exercise, both internal and external to the body. These factors include
muscular demands, temperature, hydration, sleep, rested state, chemical
stimulants and psychological influences. Longer-term factors include
training effects such as blood volume, heart volume and contractility.
Muscular Demands
An increased demand for oxygen and fuel by working muscles is the
primary influencing factor of heart rate during exercise. Blood carries and
unloads oxygen to active muscles so that aerobic metabolism is possible.
Glucose, lactate and fats are transported to the muscles to be used as
fuel. Transport of these substances increases as heart rate increases from
rest to submaximal exercise based on their demand.
Extremely high cadence (relatively lower muscular force) pedaling will
exaggerate heart rate for a given power output. In this situation, the
muscles are contracting and relaxing in quick succession, requiring a high
ratio of aerobic/anaerobic metabolism to energize the muscular work. An
increase in aerobic metabolism requires delivery of oxygen and glucose
via blood circulation, stimulating heart rate. Furthermore, skeletal muscles
act as pumps squeezing and releasing veins that run through them,
increasing the rate of venous return to the heart.
Extremely low cadence (relatively higher muscular force) results in a lower
than average heart rate for a given workload, since high force muscle
fibers require a higher energy contribution via anaerobic metabolism. Their
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fuel supply is locally available as glycogen, relying less on heart rate’s
delivery of fuel via the blood.
Temperature
Heart rate is directly affected by temperature. One of the most important
regulatory functions in the body is maintaining a narrow range of core
temperature. Blood makes up about one quarter of the extracellular fluid in
the body, and since blood is nearly 60% water, it plays an important role in
temperature regulation. About 75-80% of the energy expended to pedal a
bicycle is lost as heat. Once exercise begins, the body’s means of
dissipating this extra heat in order to maintain core temperature is
accomplished by circulating blood to the skin then back through the core.
Cooling takes place at the skin’s surface where the evaporation of sweat
cools the passing blood, returning it back to the core like a radiator. As the
body heats up, this cooling mechanism is stimulated, increasing cardiac
output by raising heart rate and sending more blood to the skin.
Temperature regulation is one of the main reasons for cardiac drift, a
significant increase in heart rate not resulting from an increase in
workload.
The influence of the cooling mechanism on heart rate becomes very
apparent when exercising in the heat. If you measure your heart rate
regularly, you have probably noticed on very hot days that your heart rate
numbers can be quite exaggerated. Conversely, when the body is not wellwarmed up or the ambient temperature is cold, heart rate can be
suppressed and underestimate cycling workloads. In this situation, since
the body is seeking to maintain core temperature and the external
temperature is much lower, less blood is sent to the skin reducing cardiac
output via lower heart rate.
Hydration
Since blood plasma makes up a large portion of the body’s total fluid,
hydration levels affect blood volume. Even with good hydration practices
on the bike, it is not possible to keep up with fluid losses during multiple
hours of endurance cycling, especially in hotter temperatures. As fluid
levels in the body decrease throughout a ride this reduction is reflected in
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the blood. Total blood volume affects the amount of blood that circulates
back to the heart. If there is less volume, less blood returns to the heart,
reducing stroke volume with each heartbeat. If working muscles require
the same cardiac output at a lower stroke volume, heart rate increases to
maintain cardiac output (Q = SV x HR). This compensatory mechanism is
another direct cause of cardiac drift where heart rate is inflated for a given
workload.
Sleep – Rested State
Insufficient sleep can affect heart rate during exercise. Early in a ride at
low to moderate workloads, sleeplessness can inflate the heart rate
response. In this situation the stress response to exercise is exaggerated,
increasing stress hormone production. A similar response is common in an
under-rested or overtrained state. For example, if you are not well
recovered from hard training or racing, the following day will see a similar
early response in heart rate as with lack of sleep. Heart rate will often be
inflated at low to moderate workloads, while it becomes difficult, if not
impossible to raise heart rate beyond a certain workload. This effect can
also be attributed to depleted glycogen stores which reduces the
maximum amount of force a muscle can produce, reflected in a lower
heart rate response for a given perceived effort.
Chemical Stimulants
Since heart rate is influenced by stress hormone production, chemicals
that stimulate these hormones (stimulants) will inflate heart rate. The
degree to which heart rate is affected depends on the type and amount of
the stimulant taken. The most common stimulant taken by cyclists is
caffeine. Caffeine may raise heart rate at lower workloads, but at moderate
to high workloads (with normal doses) its effects are diminished. Other
stimulants, such as pseudoephedrine found in nasal decongestants, will
tend to inflate heart rate at all workloads.
Psychological Factors
Psychological effects on heart rate can be surprising. For example, the
anticipation of exercise can raise heart rate significantly. If you have ever
noticed your heart rate at the start line of a race, or in any anxietyproducing situation, it becomes apparent that heart rate responds to more
26
than just physical demands. These effects are primarily the result of stress
hormone production.
Training Effects & Adaptations
Blood Volume
One of the very first adaptations to aerobic endurance training is an
increase in blood volume. This occurs more significantly when untrained
people train, but fit individuals experience some change as well when
going from a significant rest period to a period of training. One of the
effects of increased blood volume is a reduction in heart rate at all
workloads, suggesting an increase in cardio-vascular efficiency. Greater
blood volume means more blood returns to the heart during circulation,
increasing stroke volume. If stroke volume increases, heart rate can
decrease to maintain the same relative cardiac output. The heart is a
muscle, and reducing its work when appropriate can save energy.
Heart Volume/Contractility
Heart volume is determined by size of the heart and the thickness of its
muscle walls. Endurance training increases heart size and volume. The
contractility of the heart also increases with training, raising the
forcefulness with which each heart beat contracts and expels blood.
Augmentation of heart volume and contractility combine to improve stroke
volume, reducing heart rate for a given cardiac output. Thus, the primary
muscle of the cardiovascular system can become stronger and more
efficient as we train.
Summary
There are clearly many variables that can affect the heart rate response to
exercise, and knowing when and how these influencing factors take place
gives greater value to measuring heart rate. In part two we will examine
how heart rate values are unique to the individual and how valid
determination of one’s heart rates at various workloads increases its
usefulness in training.
[Part 2 will appear in our next issue. –ed]
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©2007 Whole Athlete, LLC • www.wholeathlete.com
Dario Fredrick, M.A. is an exercise physiologist and the director of the Whole Athlete
Performance Center in San Anselmo. He also teaches Yoga at the College of Marin
and Turtle Island Yoga Studio. Note: Whole Athlete offers 10% off precision bike fitting
to Marin Cyclists members. Contact them at (415) 257-8933 or via
www.wholeathlete.com.
Eating for Recovery – Refueling to Ride
By Tara Coghlin-Dickson
Fueling your muscles prior to cycling is important however, refueling after
cycling is vital for optimal performance and endurance. In training or
competition fuel is utilized, fluid and electrolytes are lost. Inadequate
refueling afterwards can impact performance, cause chronic fatigue,
cramping and injury.
Within 20 minutes after cycling, when your muscles are most receptive to
replacing your muscle fuel, glycogen, eat carbohydrate-rich food/drinks in
quantities of 1-1.5gm per kg (i.e. at least 65gm carbohydrate for a 145
pound athlete and 100gm carbohydrate for a 220 pound athlete).
A meal within two hours after exercise continues to replace glycogen.
Glucose and sucrose are most effective in restoring muscle glycogen after
exercise. The type of carbohydrate (simple, complex, liquid or solid) does
not seem to make a difference in influencing glycogen repletion. Only
carbohydrate effectively gets stored as glycogen protein and fat do not and
too much protein can limit the amount of carbohydrate. Too many greasy,
fatty foods slow down the carbohydrate availability for refueling.
Consuming 0.1 gm protein/kg (i.e. 6gm protein for a 145 pound athlete and
10gm protein for a 220 pound athlete) shortly after exercise facilitates
glycogen synthesis and promotes muscle recovery. Delaying refueling,
consuming too few carbohydrate or too few total calories reduces muscle
glycogen storage and impairs recovery. Your glycogen stores are
proportional to your cycling endurance and performance.
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Fruits, fruit juices and vegetables, vegetable juices contain amounts of
electrolytes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fluid in addition to
carbohydrate are all good for recovery. Whole grain breads and cereals,
also concentrated sources of carbohydrate, offer vitamins and other
essential nutrients needed for performance.
Salt - If you crave salt you probably need it to replace losses. Sprinkle a
little on food or carbohydrate-rich salty foods i.e. soups, vegetable juices,
salted pretzels or crackers.
Fluids - Drink 24oz for every pound lost during cycling. Post-workout
beverage carbohydrates should be juices or smoothies which have more
carbohydrate than sports drinks. They provide more electrolytes like
potassium as well as carbohydrate and vitamins, which enhance recovery
better than fluid replacement drinks and are more dilute and designed for
during exercise use.
Here are thee examples of post-ride recovery foods at various levels of carbohydrate
intake:
25-30g carbohydrate
1 banana
8 oz low fat milk
1 large fruit
1 low fat muffin
8 oz orange juice
40-45 g
4 graham crackers
4 fig newtons
1 Power bar
8 oz cranberry juice
1 c lowfat fruit yogurt
50-60g
16 oz orange juice
8 oz sherbet
1 large bagel
12 oz smoothie
1 box raisins
Tara works as a registered dietitian at Stanford Hospital and Clinics and is a clinical
nutrition specialist at Stanford Sports Medicine. She is also a sports nutritionist for
University of San Francisco Athletic Department. Tara is a member of the American
Dietetic Association Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionists group.
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Is Your Helmet Safe?
By Pete Harris
All Marin Cyclists (except James) wear helmets all the time, so we're as
safe as we can be, right? Maybe not. Your expensive helmet may not be
providing the protection you expect.
After considerable research, I've come to the conclusion that Federal law
governing helmet safety is unrealistic. There is absolutely NOTHING
about point loadings in the American standard, and not enough about
coverage. Unbelievably, you could design a helmet with razor blades in
place of foam and pass the tests.
To pass, you simply place your helmet on an 11-pound "head" made of
magnesium and drop it upside down from 2 meters onto a flat surface.
Then you drop it again from 1.2 meters onto a spherical surface, and
finally 1.2 meters onto a curbstone-shaped object. If no more than 300G
is measured at the head's Center of Gravity during each of these tests
(and the straps don't break or let the helmet move too much), your helmet
passes. For details, see
http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/regsumbicyclehelmets.pdf
Why are point loadings important? Simply because, even in a low-speed
impact, if the striking force is concentrated on a small area, you can suffer
injuries like cerebral contusion or subdural hematoma. Whenever I hear
about someone who survives a crash but has a broken skull or localized
brain damage, I immediately wonder what kind of helmet they were
wearing.
In other words, the trend toward helmets with large vents may be killing
people. To pass the tests, the foam must be made denser to compensate
for having less of it. Result: very high local forces transmitted to your
scalp.
Consumer Reports did some independent testing and found that "you have
to pay less" to get a safer product. Why? Fewer vents, more--and softer-foam.
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Your skull should not break when you crash!!! In a moderate accident you
might get a concussion, and in a serious accident you might die of
massive brain trauma, but you should not suffer localized damage if your
helmet is working!!! This is exactly what helmets are supposed to prevent.
The bad and the good. Guess which is which:
Please choose your helmet carefully. Does it protect your temples? Is the
foam reasonably soft? Are there areas of foam which bearing on a small
area of your scalp?
Think I'm nuts? I don't believe the royal family killed Princess Diana or
that the FBI shot down TWA flight 800. And I don't think we have a bad
helmet law because Bell/Giro paid off some legislators. More likely in 1996
we just didn't anticipate where helmet design was going. And of course,
once the government legislates a safety standard, manufacturers don't
tend to second-guess the standard – they just design the coolest, lightest
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helmets which can pass the tests.
Please read what others have said:
From Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
Although it may not be self-evident, the normal vents in the good helmets of the mid90's have proven adequate for almost all riding by almost all riders in almost all
conditions. To provide impact protection with less foam the manufacturers normally
have to harden the remaining foam, so that the force of a blow is transmitted to the
rider's head with more pressure on one particular spot. There is no unanimity that this
presents a safety problem, and only the Australian standard tests for "localized
loading," but all things being equal we would prefer to crash in a helmet with wider
foam strips in contact with our head than narrower ones, and a helmet with less
dense foam.
More from the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute:
http://www.helmets.org/razorpro.htm
Those [the Razor Pro and Avalanche Pro] are the last Bell models to use "hardcore
technology" which is a way of placing harder foam around vents. They pass the
standards that way with larger vents, because the magnesium headforms used
for lab testing don't care about the localized loading of the harder foam. But if the
hard foam puts more of a localized load on your skull, your skull can deflect at that
point, either cracking it or bashing your brain. There is no scientific proof from medical
studies that this is actually happening, but we just don't see the need for harder foam
around vents when the foam in most helmets is probably already too hard. In our
opinion these are not optimal designs, although they are certified as passing the ASTM
standard. There are so many other good helmets available without hard foam inserts
that we do not recommend these two.
As the material in the ribs between vents gets slimmer, manufacturers have had to
increase the hardness (density) of the remaining foam to provide impact protection.
The result is harder foam and smaller surfaces in contact with the head. There is no
test in any US bicycle helmet standard for what we call point loading, but it
stands to reason that localized loads from impacts are higher with the thinner,
harder ribs. That makes no difference at all to a magnesium headform, but to your
skull and brain it may. The Australian standard does have a test for localized loading,
but we have been unsuccessful in promoting one for the ASTM or CPSC standards
used in the US.
What was not included in the current [1996] standard:
ASTM F-08 Committee Task Force Report
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An Analysis of Comments on the
Consumer Product Safety Commission's
Bicycle Helmet Standard Draft
February 22, 1995
10. Point Loading
* The group considers point loading a potentially important
issue for this standard, but believes that more basic science is
needed on the consequences of localized loads and how to measure
point loading.
Pete Harris lives and works in San Rafael, commutes and does all possible
errands by bike, including business suit meetings in NYC. His
Masters road racing career is on hold pending the loss of 20 25 pounds.
Train Your Mind: Managing Emotions
By Marvin Zauderer
[Reprinted from PezCyclingNews: www.pezcyclingnews.com]
Stress, anger, joy, worry, excitement: Emotions can help or hurt your
cycling performance. What’s the optimal level for each of your emotions
before and during a ride or race? Regulating your emotions could be the
mental skill you need the most.
In the previous article of this series, I explored Positive Self-Talk, the
second of the five core skills of mentally fit athletes. This month, I look
at Managing Emotions – also known as Arousal Management -- in more
depth.
Quick: What comes to mind when you see the word “emotions?” Mr.
Spock on Star Trek saying he doesn’t have them? Your significant other
chastising you for not sharing them? Bill Murray as a lounge singer on
Saturday Night Live, singing “feelings…..nothing more than feelings…..?”
According to one of the many “ABC” models in psychology, emotions have
three basic components, each of which can vary hugely in intensity:
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Arousal, Behavior, and Conscious Experience. When we have an emotion,
we become physiologically aroused in some way(s): heart rate changes,
muscles tense or relax, and so on. We also have some behavioral
expression of the emotion: we say something, we frown, we bang our
hand (or head) on our powermeter. And, we have a subjective feeling:
sadness, fear, anger, joy. When an emotion comes up in the midst of
cycling, any of these components can be helpful, neutral, or harmful to our
performance.
The Anxiety Family: Worse than the Simpsons
Stress, tension, worry, pressure, fear, anxiety; they’re all related, and they
are by far the most prevalent emotional obstacles to optimal cycling
performance. On the one hand, as any effective public speaker will tell
you, a certain amount of anxiety contributes to peak performance. An
optimal level of anxiety gives us a welcome “edge” that sharpens our focus
and helps us get the most out of ourselves, Yet each of us has a point
beyond which anxiety begins to detract from our performance: our anxiety
threshold. What happens, in a ride or race, when your anxiety isn’t
controlled and exceeds your threshold for too long? One or more of the
following:
1. Distressing sensations or images. You may feel jittery, nauseous,
light-headed, or tense. You may picture being dropped, or losing, or
crashing.
2. Negative self-talk. As we saw in last month’s article, this perpetuates
and fuels anxiety, which tends to fuel more negative self-talk. That’s the
kind of cycling you want to stop.
3. Distraction and errors. It’s instinctive for us humans to divert our focus
to anything we believe is threatening. Your distressing thoughts, images,
or sensations may attract your attention away from the ride or race for too
long, and that could mean missing the break, touching wheels with the
rider in front of you, or just plain not having fun.
4. Energy loss. Anxiety loves to consume your energy. If it’s running wild,
it’s eating into your reserves.
5. Avoidance. If something triggers our anxiety, it’s instinctive – unless we
override that instinct – to try to avoid the trigger. For example, if
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descending at high speed is making you anxious, you may choose to
descend slowly in every ride and race, rather than learning to manage
your anxiety.
Managing Anxiety
So, when anxiety comes up in your cycling, how do you get it down below
your threshold? And how can you increase the chances that it stays
down?
1. Pay attention. Discover as much as you can about how your anxiety
works during training and competition, and log your findings. When anxiety
comes up, or at least as quickly thereafter as possible (e.g., debriefing
yourself after a race), identify whether there were any triggers for it. If
there weren’t any, note that. Note what effect it had – thoughts, images,
sensations, behaviors. On the other hand, if you felt a useful “edge” before
or during competition, note that, and note how it felt. You may have spent
significant time and money identifying your lactate threshold; make
discovering your anxiety threshold just as important.
2. Use your mind and body to reduce on-the-bike physiological
arousal. In other words, get more relaxed. Not necessarily relaxed, but
more relaxed. Your tools:
- Breathing. For some, deep abdominal breathing induces what Herbert
Benson first called the relaxation response. For others, nose breathing
– used by meditators from a variety of traditions over thousands of years –
is more effective.
- Imagery. You can train your physiology to respond quickly to images: of
winning, of a calm scene, of a calming person, whatever works. Edmund
Bourne’s Anxiety & Phobia Workbook is a good resource for
visualization and many other anxiety-reduction techniques.
- Stopping negative self-talk. At least interrupt the cycle, and at times
replace the negative self-talk with calming thoughts, words, or phrases.
3. Reduce your baseline anxiety level. The higher your regular stress
level, the more “triggerable” you’ll be. In your cycling, one of the most
effective tactics you can use to keep your baseline anxiety level down is to
develop and use a pre-ride/race routine. It might include progressive
muscle relaxation (see Bourne’s book for guidelines), visualizing yourself
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performing well, or calming/focusing self-talk. And of course, how you
sleep, eat, and otherwise prepare for your ride/race can have a big impact
on your anxiety level at the start line. Incorporating regular relaxation
exercises into your daily life can also make a huge difference. They
strengthen your relaxation response just as intervals strengthen your
climbing.
Last, But Not Least: Elation, Sadness, and Anger
Although the anxiety family dominates the emotion-management issues
that we Mental Training types see, there are other common issues as well.
Some tips:
1. Take care to distinguish between anxiety and elation/excitement.
When are you effectively “psyched up” and when are you overly “hyped?”
If you’re blasting Metallica in your iPod and whipping yourself into a frenzy
before your ride or race, it may be detracting from your performance.
2. Sadness is normal, to a point. Overtraining and significant loss (e.g.,
of a loved one or job) can lead to depression. If you’re wondering, see a
professional. Free, confidential depression screenings are held
regularly across the U.S. There are also many online screening tools.
3. Anger is useful, to a point. Floyd Landis in Stage 17 of the Tour de
France last year showed the power of controlled fury. Yet last month, I
raced with a guy who berated a rule-breaker in the field for 30 minutes: a
waste of energy. Assess what your anger triggers are, and what plan you
will use if you are triggered during a race/ride.
As always, if your efforts to manage your emotions aren’t successful
enough, get help. Coaches, sport psychologists and mental training
consultants, psychotherapists, and doctors are all possible sources of
guidance. Frequently, even a single evaluation session with a professional
can give you actionable recommendations that make a difference. That’s
good self-care. Even Mr. Spock would approve!
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Marvin is a USA Cycling Level 2 coach,
(http://www.wholeathlete.com/coach_marvin.htm)
leads the Mental Training program at Whole Athlete in San Anselmo,
(http://www.wholeathlete.com/psychology.htm)
and is a Masters road racer with the Synergy racing team.
(http://www.lamorindacycling.com/) He is also a psychotherapist in private practice in
San Francisco and Marin, where he works with individual adults, kids, couples, and
families (http://www.marvinz.com/).
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Announcements
Ride Leaders Needed
Want to go on a group ride that has the route and pace you want? Lead
one! For A rides (relaxed pace,10-13mph average), please contact Debbi
Kotlovker at [email protected]. For B, C, and D rides (faster, check the ride
schedule for details), please contact Franck Battelli at
[email protected]. Check out the ride schedule at
http://www.marincyclists.com/html/rideschedule.html
for ideas, ask Debbi or Franck any questions you may have about
planning and leading rides, and thanks for helping the club!
Mike’s Bikes Discount
All Marin Cyclists members get 15% of all accessories and 10% of all
bikes at Mike’s Bikes. Bring proof of Marin Cyclists membership, eg.
membership payment receipt or email from Tim McCracken.
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5 Cool Links
by Marin Cyclists Members
[Each issue we list 5 useful, funny, and/or strange cycling-related links
submitted by members. Please send yours in! – ed.]
http://www.bikely.com/ [Share knowledge of good bike routes]
http://www.finetoothcog.com/ [Search eBay and craigslist for bikes that
match a stolen bike. Portland-only for now, but expanding; keep an eye on
it!]
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A30212
[A guy who’s cycling a million (yes, a million) miles.]
http://www.ncnca.org/ [Northern California & Nevada Cycling Association
– info on local racing]
http://www.dharmawheels.org/ [150-mile Buddhist Bicycle Pilgrimage from
Woodacre to Ukiah]
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Marin Cyclists Contacts
President
Tim McCracken 415-987-9110 [email protected]
Vice President
Gary Kern 415-661-3606
Secretary/Treasurer
Wayne Van De Walker 415-461-8500 [email protected]
Ride Committee Chairs
(B, C & D Rides) Franck Battelli 415-457-9508
[email protected]
(A Rides) Debbi Kotlovker [email protected]
Advocacy Chair
Paul Kasbar 415-307-9384 [email protected]
Special Events Co-Chairs
Monique Tse [email protected]
Kelly Allen [email protected]
Membership Chair
Susan Forsman [email protected]
Web Page Designer
Jim Wilhelmsen 415-460-1442 [email protected]
Data Base and Web Page Maintenance
Tim McCracken 415-987-9110 [email protected]
Marin Century Chairs
Colin Lynch 415-454-6155 [email protected]
Mike Sexton 415-454-3609 [email protected]
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th-th-th-that's all, folks!
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