Kaitlyn Patterson, Author at Athletic Mentors

The Power of Focused Training

June 19th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Andrew Fathman, Team OAM NOW Multisport Athlete

I’m a very busy person. I always have been and I don’t see an end to my non-stop lifestyle and mentality. Typically this is a good thing because I’m able to efficiently get a lot of stuff done like school, training, and taking time to hang out with friends. This is also a great quality to have in the workplace. However, when you go from incorporating your training into your daily routine, to having to work 60+ hours a week and having to force your training in, it can be hard to stay on top of things. Ever since I started my summer jobs in early May, training has had to take a backseat. While it usually is the pinnacle of my day’s productivity, it is now scraping the bottom of the barrel for whatever minutes I can fit in. Since this is one of the most important race seasons of the year, I knew that I would have to compensate somehow. My epiphany was taking my efficiency to a whole new level.

I try to stay up-to-date on the latest training strategies and techniques, so in the past, I’ve usually just relied on my own brain to come up with a training schedule. However, being conditioned for the “slow and steady” approach to training through high school seasons and the seemingly endless River Bank training, I was not prepared for the high-effort, low-hour training summer requires.

After some research, I realized that my mind cannot come up with the appropriate training schedule week-to-week that would work every area of a race (speed, endurance, finishing, pacing, etc.) in all three disciplines, so I opted to go with a training plan to keep me in check. After some deliberation, I choose Garmin’s level II sprint tri schedule to lead me to great times. And the verdict? It works like a charm. I have never felt like my training is so pointed and specific that I can actually feel the specific section of the race that I’m working on get faster. This training plan takes full advantage of rest days, while also conditioning your mind and body to the rigors that the sport demands. Perhaps the biggest benefit is that the mental strain of finding ways to make myself hurt has been lifted.

Most of my workouts tend to be between the 35-60 minute range, with longer workouts on the weekend, so it fits perfectly into my lunch period. While before I would go out and fill 45 minutes with a run/bike/swim all willy-nilly, now I fill that same amount of time with productive, focused work. I’m now doing more productive work in the same or less amount of time, just by trusting that the training knows what it’s doing. And it does. You don’t need 10-12+ hours a week to get your training done, you just have to employ the luxury of efficiency to get you to where you need to go. I’ve been training fewer hours with more high quality workouts than I ever have before, and this past weekend, I posted my best Grand Rapids Tri time yet.

Andrew took second in the 19 and under category of the sprint distance at GR Tri

Andrew took second in the 19 and under category of the sprint distance at Grand Rapids Triathlon this year

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Landgraff Takes on Back to Back Races at Sylvania Crit

June 16th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Richard Landgraff, Masters Cyclist

Richard competing earlier in the season

It was a beautiful day on Sunday for the annual Sylvania Cycling Classic in Ohio. Temperatures were in the mid 70′s with a slight breeze from the north which made the short technical course all the harder. About 25 racers lined up for the Masters 35+ race which was spirited from the beginning. Being the only OAM NOW masters racer in attendance and with plans to race the Masters 45+ race immediately following, my race plan was to ride near the front, but try to save as much energy as I could. Well that plan went right out the window about 15 minutes into the 45 minute race as I found myself making a solo attack off the front and hoping that I would get some company for a breakaway. No one followed so I stayed by myself off the front for a couple of laps and then eventually got caught by the field. I continued to ride aggressively and tried to stay near the front as there were some crashes on one of the tight technical corners. As the laps wound down, I realized that being in the top 5-6 going into the last lap was the only way to have a chance at the win. With about 2 laps to go, another rider took off and managed to stay away for the win, albeit by only a couple of bike lengths. I had a good position coming into the final corner and came across the line in 5th place.

A quick water bottle fill up and cool down was all there was time for before the start of the Masters 45+ race. I wondered if this was a mistake to do both races back to back as I struggled a bit in the first few laps but I managed to settle in and actually felt pretty good throughout the race. An early breakaway of two got away with one rider eventually falling back to the group and the initial rider staying away for the win. The small field did not have the willpower or horsepower to chase too hard although the race was hard and fast at times. Similar to the prior race, I positioned myself toward the front in the last few laps and was able to sprint for a 6th place finish. Not too bad for two races back to back on a tough course.

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Dirty Kanza 200- An Incredible Adventure and Accomplishment

June 9th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Amy Kimber, Team OAM NOW Cyclist When my husband told me he wanted us to sign up for the Dirty Kanza 200, I said a lot of things like, “you are crazy, no way, why, not a chance, you can do it without me, I won’t be joining you.” Then one Saturday morning in January we set our alarms to wake up early, fired up our laptops, made some coffee, and impatiently waited for registration to open. The event was full in two hours, and we were both in. The event is known for being an ultra-endurance off-road cycling adventure. It was created to be extremely challenging, but possible to complete. Every year the rate of finishers is about 50%. The Flint Hills of Kansas are known for their ruggedness and remoteness. With the exception of three checkpoints where racers can meet up with their support crew, you need to support yourself and carry everything you need. Besides the houses in the towns near the checkpoints I think I saw two houses on the entire course. This is remoteness and ruggedness to the extreme! We did a short 10 mile pre-ride on Friday. The first mile is pavement and then the gravel begins.The course was bone dry, and the gravel was probably 5 inches deep in places. I was concerned about trying to hold a straight line with 1,100 of my closest friends. Overnight some large, somewhat unexpected rainstorms went through. They didn’t hit the entire course, but the first 5 miles now looked completely different. When I lined up Saturday morning for the 6 a.m. start, I was expecting some mud, but I had no idea what I was about to see…

The beginning of a long day and epic adventure

The rollout was slow, and when we made the first turn onto the gravel the road it was unrecognizable. There was a large “river” that didn’t exist the day before, and the dry fields had become large lakes. It took 15 minutes to go about a mile. Then all of the sudden I came to this long muddy stretch that resembled a bicycle war zone. Both sides of the road were lined with hundreds of people, all off of their bikes. At first I had no idea what was going on, until it started to happen to me, chain suck! Mud was getting caught in everyone’s derailleurs and if you didn’t stop pedaling, too much pressure on the chain would shear off the derailleur. I got off my bike and walked into one of the rain made lakes. I was able to clean off the drivetrain enough so that I could ride on. The first section was full of challenging climbs, rocky descents, and mud! There were so many racers out there, you were never alone. This section made me so thankful for my Cannonball Tires! I bet I saw 100 people changing flat tires. I pulled into checkpoint one at mile 48. I got my drivetrain cleaned up, replenished with food and drink, and headed back on the road for section 2.

One of the may reasons Dirty Kanza is not for the faint of heart

The second section was as equally challenging as the first. At this point it was getting very hot. There is hardly a tree on the course, there were no clouds in the sky, and the temperature kept rising. This was when you started to see people laying in ditches under small bushes, searching for any sliver of shade they could find. The river crossings that I was dreading became a lifesaver, cold water! I put my head down and just kept pedaling. At this point I just wanted to make it to the next checkpoint to see my awesome support crew. Checkpoint 2 was at mile 102. Once I made it the stop was a little longer than I was planning for. The heat was so intense and my stomach was starting to turn. I knew it was more important to cool down and hydrate than to worry about a quick transition time. My overall goal was to finish, I did not care how long it took. Section 3 was the longest leg of the day (60 miles). It was also the hottest, and there was a brutal headwind almost the entire time. I was carrying 112 ounces of water, and this would not be nearly enough. The carnage on this leg was worse than the one before. There were racers sitting in ditches, under small bushes, and in rivers. On course support is not allowed, and there are almost no cars on these roads, so every time a big van passed I knew it was on its way to pick up someone abandoning the race. I saw a lot of vans this leg. I ran out of water about 10 long miles from the checkpoint. This was about the time I started to question my sanity (not true, that started around mile 1). I started to wonder if I was going to make it. Everyone around me was out of water, everyone was suffering, and every mile my pace seemed to be slowing. Somehow, I finally made it! Checkpoint 3 was at mile 161. The crowds in the feed zones treat every racer like they are a rock star. The overwhelming support is so motivating. Again, I spent far too long with my support crew, but after what I had just went through it seemed necessary.

Amy en route to a coveted DK finish

All day long I was telling myself that all I had to do was “4” bike rides today. That didn’t seem as overwhelming as 206 miles. It was hard to get back on the bike, but now I only had 45 miles left. I mounted my headlight, and headed off for my 4th and final leg of the day. Thankfully the sun was going down and the temperature was cooling off quickly. This part of the course is by far the least treacherous. The hills are rolling and the roads started to feel more like home. I am a very experienced nighttime gravel road rider so the dark was not a concern. I put my head down, turned over the pedals, and counted down the miles to Emporia. Crossing that finish line was the best feeling I have had in a long time. It was awesome that Eric and I got to finish together. I didn’t have a care in the world about what place I was in, or what my finish time was (16 hours and 52 minutes, rolling average of 15.1 mph), all that mattered was I made it! I was in the 51% that finished the 2016 Dirty Kanza. Overall, I had an amazing experience. I am happy to report that I never had any nagging issues throughout the day. My biggest concerns were saddle issues, hot foot, heat, and cramps. Around mile 180 my saddle started to become uncomfortable, I thought that was to be expected. The cool river crossings kept my feet from feeling awful, and I just took longer breaks at the checkpoints to hydrate and recover from the heat. I had some twinges in my calves and quads, but never a full blown cramp. My upper body felt great, and my long standing back issue was a non-issue today. The last few miles Eric and I talked about how this was a once in lifetime experience. We were glad that we did it, that we were going to be finishers, and that we never needed to do it again! On the car ride home we were already making plans to make next years’ experience even better! I could write an entire blog on the beauty of Kansas, but I will let the pictures talk for themselves.

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5000 Days

May 12th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

By: Brian Reynolds

On August 10th, 2002, I was a 14 year old Otsego High School freshman toeing the start line at the Ready or Not 5k. The race took place at my old stamping grounds in Otsego, Michigan. The Ready or Not was my second 5k during my early running career. I remember being very nervous and excited at the same time. The race was long, hard, and mentally challenging. The race felt more like a half marathon than a 5k.

Brian’s running streak began in 2002 when he was a 14 year old freshman at Otsego high school

Looking back at the Ready or Not race it was the start of my running career and, most of all, the start of my running streak. Everyday since August 10th, 2002 I have not missed a day of running. You may be asking yourself “Why would you run everyday? Are you crazy?” but don’t worry I have not been diagnosed with any mental issues and there is a reason why I choose to run everyday.

When I ran cross country at Otsego I was coached by Steve Long. Coach Long’s training was based on the Paavo method which was a popular training program used at the high school level. One of the most important lessons I learned from the Paavo method was that to be successful you have to work at it EVERYDAY. Coach Long would encouraged his runners to run everyday because it would make us faster and would be a good motivational tool. Coach Long told us that a run would only count if it was at least one mile long and was completed without any breaks. Only a few of us took on this running challenge. I took on the challenge because I wanted to be a great runner. During that cross country season I did not miss a single day of running.

Running everyday without a doubt had made me a better runner so I decided to continue the streak after my cross country season. During high school it was pretty easy to get a run in during the cross country and track seasons. However, during the winter months when I swam competitively it was a little more challenging to get in a run. During the swim season, I would practice for 2 hour after school then go for a 3 mile run at night. There were some days when I ran in -20 ᷾͒deg F wind chill through 2 feet of snow. On a super cold days my face would be so covered up I could barely get enough air to breath through all the layers of clothing covering my month. However, I did not let poor weather conditions become an excuse not to run. If it was not for the running streak, I probably would have missed several days of running due to bad weather, not feeling good, or lack of motivation that day.

Over the years during high school, college, and post-college it has been amazing to see my progress throughout my running career. The one big life lesson I took out of this experience is that to achieve a lifetime goal or dream you have to take it one day at a time. Big dreams are not going to happen overnight. In fact, dreams can take years, decades, or may never happen. To accomplish big goals you have to set attainable short term goals. Within those short term goals you need to set daily goals. For me a daily goal maybe completing a run workout at my goal race pace. When I accomplished those daily goals I was able to accomplish my short term goals. If you continue to accomplish goal after goal after goal then you may eventually reach your big dream. For example, my big dream was to win a marathon. On day 1 of my running streak I was far from being in shape to win or even be able to finish a marathon. However, on day 3,149 I was able to win the 2011 Kalamazoo Marathon.

Brian took home the Kalamazoo Marathon title in 2011, running 2:34:39

To this day I am still running everyday. My running streak is over 5000 days which spans over 13 years. I have been very fortunate so far to keep this streak alive. There has only been one incident where I almost couldn’t run due to a very bad ankle sprain. Let’s just say I ran some of my slowest runs on that sprained ankle. Running has become so ingrained in me that I do not think twice when I go out for a run. Running is part of my life and identity. I do not see myself quitting anytime soon. So with that said I gotta go for a run, thanks for reading!

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After A Year of Resilience Sheikh Claims Second at Strider’s Classic

May 10th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

– By Elaine Sheikh

Strider’s 10 Mile Classic is a race that I’ve wanted to do for a few years now, but have never been able to work into the schedule. This year, it was perfect timing – I’m currently training for the Grand Rapids Half Iron Triathlon and this would give me the opportunity to test my race legs over a longer distance. Before the race started, I chatted with some OAM Now teammates who were doing the 5K. The only other OAM Now athlete doing the 10 miler besides myself was club member Lindsey Lilly. I had never run with her before, so I didn’t know how fast she was!

$Elaine recovered from a pelvic fracture$

Elaine is back running healthy and strong after recovering from a pelvic stress fracture 15 months ago

I was nervous starting this race. Not only was it my first running race of the season, this would be my first running race since I fractured my pelvis 15 months ago. It still feel “tweaky” on a pretty regular basis and I had nightmares of refracturing it when I really put it to the test. Plus, I had completely forgotten how to pace myself for anything that wasn’t a triathlon or bike race! I deployed my usual tact of telling everyone I was out there for a training run. When people don’t think I’m going to race hard, I feel like it takes away a lot of pressure. So, whether or not I plan on racing hard, I will often tell people I just want to enjoy my day. Secretly, I wanted to run under 1:09.

Elaine and Lindsey finish the Striders 10 miler under 70 minutes

As we started, the fastest woman in the pack became obvious. I kept her in my sights the whole first half of the race. It was much hillier than I thought, and a loose gravel mile caused my second mile to be a bit slower than I had anticipated. But, I just kept watching her and didn’t let her pull away. Right before the halfway mark, a man yelled that I was only 20 yards back. This caused my competitor to pick up the pace. I responded, but mile 6 was all uphill and I had been running significantly faster than I had planned on. I was hurting and I started to lose focus as the hills hit me one after another. Just as my breathing was getting completely out of control. At the perfect time, teammate Dave Stebbins, who had been riding back and forth on the course cheering, rolled up. It was pretty obvious that I was flagging pretty hard at that point, but he encouraged me and talked me down so I could get control of my breathing again. Teammates are awesome!

In the end, I never caught the first place female finisher. She crossed the finish line a solid 30 seconds ahead of me. However, I crushed my goal and ran a 1:07:12. Lindsey was the third woman to cross the line at 1:08:27. Way to go Lindsey!

It was a fun day and a great race that I would recommend for anyone looking for a nice spring 5K or 10 miler. I couldn’t be more excited to start another multi-sport season with Team OAM Now!

The result of a year of resilience!

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Bikecation in Southern Michigan

May 4th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Roxane Kippen, Multisport Athlete

Who needs Spring Break sitting around on a beach in Florida, when you can go on a bikecation? It doesn’t appear that “bikecation” is a term that has landed on wikipedia yet, since it gave me results instead for “bisection” when I typed it in the search. So, I will have to tell you a little about my week out of the office and on the trails to explain. Many cyclists head south to Alabama, North Carolina or Southern Indiana early in the spring for a training camp, where they ride all day and enjoy the warmer temps that may not always arrive in Michigan in a timely fashion. Instead of spending 15 hours in the car, packing countless bags and hoping for good weather when I get there, I decided to take a week off for a “staycation” and ride my bike closer to home with a 10 day forecast of nothing but sun and warm temps.

While North Carolina boasts of International Mountain Bike Association Epic Trail Tsali, Southern Indiana has its beloved Brown County and Alabama has Oak Mountain, the lower peninsula of Michigan has some pretty fine trails as well. I have ridden Tsali, Brown County and Oak Mountain, and I would have to say I enjoyed my week here on Michigan trails just as much. Every trail has something different to love and if they were all the same, that would be no fun at all. Let me take you on a brief tour of the trails I visited during my bikecation.

Rounding the final corner at Barry Roubaix to kick off the bikecation!

I started off the first weekend of my journey by racing the Barry Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race. I logged 36 miles of gravel roads with 3,000 of my closest friends and teammates. After a relatively hard effort during the race, I spent Sunday on a shorter “recovery” ride with friend and former teammate John. We rode the most convenient location, which happened to be the Cannonsburg State Game Area (CSGA) and the Cannonsburg Ski Area (CSA), together a.k.a. “The Combo” or “The Connector”. We avoided the “Up the Gut” climb at the ski area and enjoyed a leisurely pace through the game area and logged 14 miles of mountain biking. I didn’t want to wear myself out on the first day of my bikecation! I had a lot of time in the saddle (and chamois cream) coming up.

It was hard to decide where to go on what day, but I started off on Monday at Yankee Springs Recreation Area in Middleville, MI. The body takes a beating on this trail as there are a lot of rocks and roots and a bit more climbing than the Cannonsburg trails from Sunday. I rode 23 miles solo (two loops) at a Sunday driver pace and took most of the climbs in granny gear; riding by myself I didn’t dare take any chances of sliding off a cliff or wrapping myself around a tree. The temp was close to 80 degrees and the course was extremely dry, loose and sandy, almost as if it were the middle of July already.

A sunny day 2 at Yankee Springs Recreation Area

Three hours in the heat and I felt like day two of bikecation was solid. Fort Custer Recreation Area (The Fort) was the trail of choice on day three. Tuesday conditions were cool but comfortable and made for another great day of riding. XTERRA training buddy Alan and I took on a couple laps at The Fort and logged 17 miles of super cool singletrack and even threw in a twenty- minute brick run after our ride. The Fort was where I feel I really learned to mountain bike. Nearly 10 years ago, I spent countless weekends prepping for my first XTERRA (offroad triathlon) at The Fort. It is still my favorite race venue for XTERRA. It is always hard to tell someone if a trail is technical, because technical could mean many different things. To me, this trail was technical and for me that means rooty, steep switchback climbs that require great focus and balance and some tighter twisty/turny sections. With trail sections call Amusement Park and Grannies Garden and trail features like the Demon Drop and the Trenches, it is definitely a trail with a large variety of riding and it never gets boring.

Wednesday, I met up with long-time mountain biker and teammate Terry Ritter to get a bit of an evaluation on my riding skills at the Potawatomi Trail (Poto) in Pinckney, MI. I also had the opportunity to connect with local rider and fellow XTERRA racer, Heather, for the ride. The trip is just under two hours from Grand Rapids, and I would highly recommend it. I had never ridden the trail before so it was a good test of my trail reading and bike handling “tool box”. My biggest opportunity is to better utilize my momentum. I think Terry suggested/threatened that I need some single speed work to force me to use my momentum more effectively. Thanks, Terry, for your time and knowledge and helping me log another 17.5 miles of trail riding on day four of my bikecation.

Day 4 Poto getting tips from mastermind Terry

Of course, the meteorologist had to get one day wrong out of that 10 days of forecasted sun, and it happened to be on Thursday. The morning was cool and rainy, so I took the opportunity to catch up on some housework and volunteer activities. By the afternoon, things were clearing up to the north so I summoned a couple of my regular XTERRA training partners for a trip to Owasippe Trail. This trail is on a Boy Scout reservation near Whitehall, MI and has some of the most fun singletrack riding in Michigan. It is tough to describe this trail and why I love it so much, but it has some nice smooth areas, some brutal technical climbs with bumpy descents, a couple of long narrow bridge crossings and spectacular views of water and woods all around. The rains left the trail in perfect condition as the sand soaked up the moisture and packed down for a fast trail. We logged 23 fabulous miles and went to a local brewery for a well-earned recovery beverage.

I started to feel my legs squawking at me after the ride at Poto on Wednesday. The climbs were tougher and there were times when I powered a little harder through sections than I had earlier in the week. This was evident each time I ascended a set of stairs in my house. Definitely after the Owasippe ride, my legs had done what they set out to do for the week and I needed a recovery day. Friday I did just that. I recovered, I napped with my cat Asher (the master napper) and I watched Netflix. I did, however, log 4 miles riding to and from Belle Tire when I dropped off and picked up my car for a tire rotation.

Day 6: Recovery

After a full week of riding totaling 36 miles of gravel, 95 miles of singletrack and a 4 mile commute, I headed into the weekend for two more days of training before going back to the cubicle world. I pushed myself through a 5K run at the Striders Classic on Saturday and rounded out Sunday with another 23 miles at The Fort for a total of 118 miles of mountain biking in 8 days. That may be more than I’ve done in a stretch of several months during the season! It is very difficult to pick a favorite trail, but I will have to stick with Owasippe as my #1 and Fort Custer as a close #2.

To check out more information on these trails, click the hyperlinks above that will take you to the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) listing or look them up on the Michigan Mountain Bike Association (MMBA) Trail Guide at http://mmba.org/trail-guide/. If you are worried about getting lost in the woods, you can download the MTB Project app, by IMBA, to your phone and it will show your location as you ride on the trail. Local bike shops can also give you tips on how to find and what to expect of the trails nearby. The mountain bike community welcomes new riders with open arms, so if you’ve been hesitating to give it a try, I highly encourage you to take the leap and check out a local trail.

Final day of a great week!

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Danielle Nye Makes Team Debut at Striders 5k

April 27th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Danielle Nye, OAM NOW Multisport Athlete Saturday morning was a crisp, sunny day perfect for running the Striders 5k classic. Team OAM NOW had four members at the start line eager to have a fast race on the flat and mostly paved course. This was my first race with other Team OAM NOW multisport athletes. Even though I have been racing sprint triathlons and short distance running races for many years, I am always striving to be faster each year. This year I set a goal for myself to do a sub 20 minute 5k in preparation for the USAT world sprint race in September. Knowing that OAM NOW racers are very strong competitors I knew this would be a great race with teammates pushing me to be my best. Striders 5k was a great season opener to see where I was at in my training for this goal.

Danielle Nye, Roxane Kippen, Paul Raynes, and Bob Shultz took on the Striders 5k last weekend in Grand Rapids

The race took off with a handful of runners trying to make an early break in the field. I was able to keep the lead two ladies in my sight heading out on the course. Worried about starting off too hard, I backed my pace down and settled in behind another runner. We took a turn and had a short section of gravel which was unexpected and slowed my pace down. At the half way turn around I tried to pick up the pace and was hoping for a negative split finish. Once I noticed my Garmin lap alert for mile 2 I knew I needed to push the pace since I had fallen a bit behind on time during the last mile. I turned the last corner to see the finish banner approaching with my Garmin showing 18:58 for time elapsed. As the clock ticked away I knew that my sub 20 minute finish would not happen today. My efforts were for enough though third overall female and first in my age group. Even though I did not meet my goal, I was excited to see improvement in my 5k time. I was also able to cheer on my new teammates and watch them finish the race. Team OAM NOW raced hard and had a strong showing at the 5k. Multisport team captain, Roxane Kippen had a strong race in the women’s field as well and finished as the fifth overall female and first in her age group. Paul Raynes was the second OAM NOW teammate across the finish line. Paul had a great run with that earned him first place in his age group. Bob Schultz came in just behind Paul to capture second place in his age group. Saturday was a great time racing with new teammates, enjoying post-race bagels, and cheering for each other during the awards. I am confident that with continued training with OAM NOW teammates I will meet my 5k goal by September. Strider’s 5k was a great season opener and I look forward many more races this season with my new teammates! The post Danielle Nye Makes Team Debut at Striders 5k appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Shuler Takes on Heat and Wind for Boston PR!

April 26th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Tammy Shuler, Team OAM NOW multi-sport athlete

The morning of the race started out very hot considering the weather we have had leading up to race day. 70 at the start of my wave and no wind in Hopkinton. The closer we got to Boston it cooled off and a brisk head wind started about mile 8.

Tammy representing OAM NOW in Boston!

The crowds were amazing! Every year there are more spectators. The spectators give out ice and popsicles, that saved my race. The drinks at the aide stations were warm, and not refreshing. People were cramping and dropping out all along the course from the heat.

Tammy completes a challenging Boston Marathon and posts another qualifying time!

Boston is always a challenging race and this year did not disappoint. However, I finished my best Boston in the last 3, with a 3:53:18, 69th in my age group of 650. This was also a qualifying time in my 55-59 age group.

Next for me is the Mittens Challenge which consists of racing the Wisconsin Marathon on May 7 in Kenosha and then the Kalamazoo Marathon on Sunday, May 8th!

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Our Big, Fat Greek Adventure

April 25th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Kaitlyn Patterson, OAM NOW cyclist Last weekend, Alex Vanias and I took our OAM NOW kits across the Atlantic to compete in the Lamia Challenge UCI mountain bike stage race as part of our trip to Greece. Before we begin the epic tale, I shall first clear up a few points about how this whole thing came to be.

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece located in the northern part of the country. You can look across the bay of the Aegean Sea to see Mt. Olympus

Why Greece? Alex was actually born in Thessaloniki, Greece and lived there for most of the first 12 years of his life. He moved to the U.S. in junior high but still has family and friends there. A trip to Greece has been on the bucket list for quite a while since Alex hasn’t been back to visit in six years and I have never been there despite being his partner in crime for more than four years. One thing on Alex’s bucket list was racing his bike in the motherland, so the planning began. How did you choose the race? Race selection involved Alex poring over a list (pages long-who knew?!) of road and mountain races in Greece, and the Lamia UCI Challenge was chosen for the following reasons: 1.) We could hit three races in one weekend 2.) It was a UCI race with the potential for solid competition and UCI points and 3.) Alex’s plans never lack ambition. The early date limited our MTB specific prep though, especially since we had snow in Traverse City until the day we flew out and we made a quick transition from ski season to cycling. So with about six weeks of committed training on the bike including some trainer intervals, one gravel road race, a week in North Carolina, and a handful of March mountain bike rides, we were off to do our first UCI race. And even with as much research as we could do, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

En route to climbing Mt. Chortiatis. Thessaloniki can be seen in the background.

In the days leading up to the race after arriving in Greece, we decided to sacrifice some freshness to spend some quality time on our mountain bikes and get acquainted with the rocks, mountains, and heat. My brain was overloaded with all the new stimuli that the first ride was a bit surreal but I did learn several things- 1.) My concept of climbing was redefined yet again. Who needs switchbacks when you can go straight up? 2.) The lines that look like roads on the map are literally and figuratively goat trails 3.) The goats will not move out of your way quickly 4.) I’ll take the goat trails over the terrifying drivers on the convoluted, narrow roads. 4=5.) Greece is beautiful but also a bit sad. You can look out from the mountain for views of the Aegean Sea and Mount Olympus but then you look around you and there are houses, buildings, animals and people in various stages of neglect.

The day before the race, we traveled the several hours southwest to the smaller town of Lamia, which based on everyone’s reaction, was a very odd place to hold a race. We wanted to pre-ride at least a portion of the 40km point to point race so we headed towards the race start about 23 km from Lamia after picking up our packets. Soon we were headed up endless switchbacks and Lamia faded below us in some truly amazing mountain scenery. However, the isolation and elevation were definitely making me wonder what I got myself into. Alex’s mom, Terri, was our race support for the weekend and handled the mountain roads in a manual van like a champ. She dropped us off at the start and somewhat reluctantly continued on to the village we hoped to end up. The portions of the course we rode confirmed our thoughts that we just might be in over our heads. The climbs were open, sustained and wonderful but the singletrack sections were like nothing we have in Michigan (understatement). Thankfully, the ratio of mountain roads to singletrack was manageable and it really was an awesome, real mountain bike course.

Just heading to a race start…

I felt like I went back in time 100 years going through these remote mountain villages

Day 1- 40k point to point

OAM NOW represent!

The next morning after a restless and anxious night, we headed up the mountain again, thankful we had scoped it out the day before. We joined a small contingent of Greek, Bosnian, German and Belgian riders at the modest start area. Although the race instructions were announced in careful English, Greek was the dominant language (including Terri and Alex), which contributed to the disorienting and surreal experience. Since it was a logistically difficult and new race, the start lists were very small with only four women and eight men lining up. Terri was armed with an official feed zone tag and quickly befriended the other coaches and support crews.

The tiny womens field takes off for a brutal 40k cross country race

Although the starting miles were open and downhill, the men gunned it from the line and I watched Alex disappear, hoping for the best. Two minutes later, my small women’s contingent headed off. Although I had been planning on starting conservatively on the downhill start to assess the other riders’ singletrack skills, the switch clicked in my brain that turns me into a different cyclist when I’m racing. The best Greek rider, Varvara Fasoi, attacked off the line and the other girls didn’t respond so I led the chase. I had a fleeting sense of optimism as I kept her in sight but just a couple curves up the road, I saw Alex fixing a flat. I considered that he needs to figure out how to make peace with the bike gods or Greek gods or whoever can help his terrible racing luck, but I tried to shake it off and hoped it was fixable so he could finish and have another chance to race. The first extended road climb further shattered the women’s field and I held second but had lost sight of Varvara on the singletrack. To my relief, Alex caught me at the top and disappeared into the mystery of the portion of the course we did not pre-ride.

Elevation profile of the first 20 miles

Although I usually wish for climbs, the backside of the course was undeniably more than I bargained for. The loose road climbs were relentless and steep enough that I ran out of gears and seriously contemplated getting off my bike and walking (and I thought I was a climber). And to make matters worse, I came upon Alex again waiting for me so he could use my tube and pump after another flat. (The Greek racers use tougher tires, the whole country is comprised of sharp rocks). Considering the circumstances, I still felt pretty good and was pleasantly surprised I was holding a reasonable gap to Varvara and had not been caught from behind over halfway through the race. However, I should have known that it couldn’t be that easy. With about four miles to go I also got a flat that wasn’t sealing. Without my own tube, I didn’t have many options since everyone else was racing 29ers. I knew I had to make it work to stay in the hunt and I resigned to hiking my bike the final four miles, conceding a lot of time and ultimately finishing last. Major bummer for both of us but I was pleased with how I was riding before disaster struck and we both lived to race another day.

It was a slight consolation that I was essentially hiking through an enchanted forest. It definitely could have been worse.

No, we did not have to cross that bridge although we did race across a couple just as questionable.

Even though it was only 25 miles, that race ripped me to shreds. Although I was previously a bit bummed that the individual time trial on the second day was only 4.55km, after the first race, I felt that would be about all I could manage. However, because it was a short TT, pre-riding the course would be very important. And since it was a UCI race, the course was only open to train on at certain times, which meant we had to summon the mental and physical energy after the race to fix our tires and check out our next challenge. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many moments in such a condensed time period that I didn’t think there was any way I could do something but then somehow managed to pull it off. Well, riding that course after the race was one of those times. Even though this race was held in a park in town, this did not save us from a punishing elevation profile with 750 feet of climbing per lap and quite a few technical features. When I hit a certain threshold of fatigue, my bravery level drops precipitously, which made for an interesting pre-ride on the rock gardens, drops, and bridges. However, I realized I simply did not have a choice besides getting off my bike at anything difficult when I am supposed to be in the “pro” mtb race with everyone watching. So we made it happen feature by feature and major kudos to coach Alex. Day 2- Individual TT The second race was held as part of a day of racing including citizen and junior classes. I was really impressed with the number of junior racers (especially girls!) and the technical trails they were riding. The UCI race was the last of the day (so it warmed up nicely to nearly 90 degrees) and we headed off in one minute intervals for one hot lap.

Alex and I seeking shade as we waited for our TT start time

Since the race format and course did not play to our strengths and with some definite fatigue and jetlag going on, neither of us had especially high expectations. It went about as smoothly as we could have hoped, considering the circumstances and the best part was it was less than 20 minutes of suffering and the day was done. When the results were posted later, to my surprise “the American girl” ended up second! I was pleased but knew I was benefiting from a relatively weak field and a scarcity of female cyclists around the world.

On the podium! Redemption from flatting the first day

The results from the men’s race were the first direct comparison for Alex since it was hard to extrapolate how his performance would have compared without the mechanicals the previous day. However, the TT confirmed that he really was racing Greek ninjas as they absolutely blazed the course. Although he was a bit incredulous with the reality check, it was soon turned into resolve for the mass start circuit race the last day.

Day 3- Short Track Circuit Race The circuit race was held on the same course as the TT- four laps for the women and five for the men. This was possibly the most mentally challenging race going in because of the fatigue level and the technical and physical demands of the course, this time repeated over and over. I felt pretty terrible the morning of the race and was off the back immediately on the downhill start. I managed to rally and catch two of my competitors but I couldn’t match Lejla (Bosnia) on the downhills and settled for third.

Almost perfect timing! The men and women raced together and I crossed Alexs path, 5ft below!

Almost perfect timing- the men and women raced together and Alex crossed my path 7ft above!

The final showdown- men’s race lining up

With the mission of holding on to the field as long as possible, Alex battled Theodoros Petridis, the whole race, only dropping back after an endo from a rear brake issue (only flesh wound souvenirs).

Added bonus. Prize Euros!

Making friends with the Greek National coaches

Overall it was the coolest, most epic experience ever. Although the results might show the Americans tailing at the bottom of the G.C. results, there is something to be said about jumping into a deep pool without a life vest and making it work. Our perspective of what is difficult has been shifted which can be applied to racing this season and beyond. And if nothing else, U.S. mountain bike racing here we come! The post Our Big, Fat Greek Adventure appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

OAM NOW Masters Squad Rocks Spring Gravel Classics

April 23rd, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Richard Landgraff, OAM NOW Masters cyclist

Although they might not get the same glory as the first riders across the line, masters racers often make up a huge portion of the overall field making for a consistently competitive battle for the podium.

The Team OAM NOW Masters squad has posted some impressive results already this season at two gravel road races with weather at opposite ends of the spectrum- a frigid, windy and wet Lowell 50 and a warm, dry and dusty Barry Roubaix. OAM NOW cyclist Richard Landgraff recaps the masters team performances in both races.

Lowell 50

Richard Landgraff and Chris Abston after surviving a wet, frigid Lowell 50

The weather forecast did not look promising in the week leading up to the spring edition of the Lowell 50. With temperatures in the low 30′s, winds gusting to 40 mph and the potential for snow, there were many riders (including myself) who were not looking forward to racing in such brutal conditions. But we are bike racers, and on the Saturday morning before the Tour of Flanders the very next day, the weather was actually not too bad or so we thought. With about 60 riders in the main field for the 57 mile event, the pack rolled out for the approximate 2 km neutral start to the covered bridge. As racing began in earnest, it was quickly apparent that the strong winds were going to play a hand in the outcome of the race. Also, the overnight rains had left many sections of road soft and the potholes filled with water. The first real test of the race comes at about the 5 km mark with a climb that’s named “Rude Awakening” as a Strava segment. The name was indeed appropriate as there were many riders who lost contact with the main group on that first climb. The paced settled in a bit after the climb and I looked around to see that all of the main favorites were still in the field as well as most of my OAM NOW teammates.

The next 20 km of the race is fairly hilly and the pack generally stayed together with a few attacks and some solo breakaway attempts from other riders and teams, none of which stuck. The decisive part of the race comes at about the 25 km mark for a number of reasons, the biggest today of which was the brutal crosswind that put most of the riders in the gutter as the pack made a left hand turn northward on a stretch that would last about 4 km. As gaps started to open everywhere, I gave it my all a few times to stay in contact with the main field. As we turned back east out of the cross wind, I had survived and readied myself for the next turn north which would blow the race wide open. With only about 25 riders left in the main field, the pace eased up slightly as the field wound it’s way to the southeastern most part of the course and as we made the turn back north onto Barker Road, the attacks came fast and furious. My goal was to follow wheels as best I could and when I saw my teammate Chris Abston follow an attack, I knew that I would be in a good position not to have to work to bring anything back. I glanced up the road and it was carnage- a couple small groups of 2-3 riders and it was the same behind. Over the next couple of kilometers, the groups consolidated with eight riders up the road and then a chase group of nine, including Chris and I.

A snowy downtown Lowell awaited the hearty riders

As we raced back toward Lowell mainly into a head and cross wind, the storm that had been forecast began to come down in full force. It began to snow, flurries at first and then a steady snow as one rider got away solo and the rest of the group of stayed together notwithstanding numerous attacks including one from me on a climb about 12 km from the finish. We did lose a couple of more on the finishing hills back toward Fallasburg Park and soon we were turning back onto the paved stretch of finishing road. The sprint began about 250 meters from the finish and in the end, Chris placed 13th overall (3rd in the 40-49 category) and I was right behind him in 14th place (1st in the 50+ category). All in all a great day and finish for Team OAM NOW in the Lowell 50 (57 mile) spring edition.

Full results can be found here.

Barry Roubaix

Course conditions and tire/bike selections were the talk amongst the team in the week leading up to Barry Roubaix 2016. With forecast temperatures in the mid 70′s, the pre-race course reconnaissance indicated that the gravel roads would be loose, soft and dusty- and were they ever. The wave 2 field for the 62 mile race included nearly 400 riders with Richard Landgraff, Chris Abston and Terry Ritter riding for TEAM OAM NOW. All of us decided to ride cross bikes with a mix of file tread and road tires.

A good start position and being able to be at or near the front when the race hits the gravel roads were going to be the keys to the day. After the first 10 km and the “Three Sisters” climbs, the field was reduced to about 50. As the race progressed back onto the pavement and began the Gunn Lake Road climb all of the riders were thinking of their position going into the Sager Road two track, which was coming in the next 10 km. The race pretty much blew apart on the sandy two-track of Sager. Chris and I managed to make it through unscathed as there were numerous crashes and riders having to dismount and run through the deep sand. We turned out of Sager and hammered up the next few hills to catch back onto the small group of leaders which eventually grew to a group of about 30. At this time, we were unaware that a group of about eight riders were ahead of the main field, a fact which we realized several kilometers later as a couple of the main favorites were no longer in the main group.

The race continued along the dusty roads and as the pack hit the main climbs including The Wall and Cloverdale Hills, riders continued to lose contact with the group. At this point in the race with less than 40 km to go, the goal was to conserve energy for the last few climbs toward the end of the race. The main pack was down to about 20 or so riders as the field came onto the finishing 5 km of pavement. I attacked on the last climb and managed to hold off all but three of the chasers to finish 2nd in the Masters 51+ category and 40th overall. Chris Abston and Terry Ritter finished a strong 16th in the Masters 40-50 and 62 overall, and 44th in the Masters 40-50 and 127th overall, respectively.