Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors, Author at Athletic Mentors

Soggy Socks Don’t Slow Down Team OAM Now at Grand Rapids Tri

June 26th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now, Triathlete

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The morning of the Grand Rapids Triathlon started out at 4 am for many members of the Team OAM Now. Like last year, it was raining steadily as athletes set up the transition area. For those of you who have never had the distinct pleasure of setting up transition in the rain, it really is an experience. Forget about using electrical tape to attach gels to your top tube – nothing sticks. Your towel and shoes will be soaked if you don’t have a trash bag to cover them. If your helmet has an eyeshield, anticipate it being wet and impossible to see out of. I’ll admit, after my sub-par performance at Big Fish Triathlon in Ortonville two weeks prior, where I did the Olympic aquabike in 45 degrees and pouring rain, I was less than thrilled for another rainy day aquabike. At least my hands weren’t numb as I got into my wetsuit this time! The Grand Rapids Triathlon is one of the biggest tris in the state. Team OAM Now/Athletic Mentors is one of the sponsors of this race. As such, we had a tent at the expo the day before the race. It was great to catch up with teammates before race day. As we handed out hot/cold packs, granola bars, and fliers, I learned that most of the multisport team racing would be doing the half-iron distance. The more the merrier, right? Plus, that meant that I would probably see some friendly faces as I entered the water in the first wave at 7 am. However, as I lined up in the corral to get in the water, I didn’t see any of my teammates. No worries though – I hung out with some friends from Grand Valley State University, where I did my undergrad, and hoped everyone from Team OAM Now was in place and ready to race! The swim was uneventful and I hoped that, like last year, it would no longer be raining when I hit the road on the bike. To my minor disappointment, it was still sprinkling. The roads were, for the most part, decently drained and I only had to weave around several large puddles. I felt good on the bike though and, with the exception of needing to wipe off my eyeshield every mile or so, I wasn’t hampered by the rain.

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I didn’t see any Team OAM Now members until just before the turnaround. I saw one man coming towards me and I racked my brain to remember who it could be. I settled on Brian Reynolds. As I rounded the turnaround, a volunteer told me I was the second female. I saw Raquel Torres less than half a mile back. She had started two waves after me, so had made up ten minutes on me at that point. She passed me within the next mile and we exchanged a few words of encouragement. Next thing I knew, Kaitlyn Patterson, who started in the same wave as Raquel, flew past me. I was going a bit over 21 mph at the time, so knew she had to be going at least 24. I made a mental note to attempt to mountain bike more and see if it turned me into a beast on the bike like her! Kaitlyn hasn’t been doing a lot of triathlon training as she has spent the year racing mountain bikes, and yet, there she was, dominating a half-iron tri on the road! Not long after Kaitlyn passed me, I was passed by another Team OAM Now male, who I decided was probably Todd Anthes. At that point, I was out of water, my hip was completely cramped, and I was in too much pain to pay attention to people coming up on the other side. I missed a few teammates, but all I could think about was finishing at that point! I was passed by another woman in the aquabike, Kim Albin. She’s a strong cyclist and I tried to stay with her, but it wasn’t happening for me. (My heart said go, go, go, but my body said no, no, no – although I think the actual song has those two things in reverse…) My focus was then to just hold off the women behind me to preserve a podium place in the half aquabike. The finish line couldn’t come fast enough! After the race, I immediately found an icepack for my hip and tried to waddle around awkwardly to find my friends and teammates. Overall, I had a decent race, although I would have liked to have been able to finish the bike as hard as I started. Regardless, Team OAM Now had a lot of podium places, and I was proud to be one of them despite my injury. Most notably, Team OAM Now had the top 2 females in the half iron distance! Kaitlyn, who remember, has been focusing on mountain bike training, won the half iron with a stellar time of 4:30! Raquel was second, pulling the awesome time of 4:38 in her first ever half. Brian went 4:10 in his first half, which was good for fourth overall and first in his age group. I think I’ll keep hanging out with these fast folks in the hope that some of their speed rubs off on me! Sprint Chuck Grzanka- 1st AG Paul Raynes- 2nd AG Sprint Relay Mike Steele- 1st OA Michelle Olson (Elite Club) 1st OA Half Aquabike Elaine Sheikh-3rd OA Half Kaitlyn Patterson- 1st OA Raquel Torres- 2nd OA Brian Reynolds- 1st AG, 4th OA Todd Anthes- 3rd AG Michelle Dalton- 9th AG The post Soggy Socks Don’t Slow Down Team OAM Now at Grand Rapids Tri appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Sponsor Spotlight: Giant Bicycles

June 24th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

Giant Bicycles started in 1972 and has become one of the best known names in cycling. Known for their quality, craftsmanship, reliability, and performance, Giant is the bike of choice for many riders, from elite to recreational. An industry innovator, Giant’s goals, similar to those of Team OAM Now, go beyond medals and to the heart of the sport: a pure love of riding. Giant has sponsored Athletic Mentors‘ Teams for 3 years.

For Team OAM Now, this means bikes that win races. This means performance and a stylish design so they look good passing competitors. More than that, it means confidence in the gear that gets them to the finish and the support of one of the best known names in cycling: Giant. For Giant it means athletes who embody sportsmanship, quality, ability, and a desire to further the sport. Ed Note: The relationship between athlete and sponsor is often understated and oversimplified. Team OAM Now/AM does its best to make sure the relationship we build with our sponsors reflects its importance. We promote our sponsor’s brand, with professionalism, on social media including blogs and Facebook. We are active in the community and participate in over 75 community events every year to help our sponsors give back to community. We (the athletes) understand our sponsors’ services and brand, use their products and services, and refer business to them. In return, the sponsors help us develop young athletes, and create exposure and opportunities where those circumstances might not otherwise exist. For a sponsor, this kind of support is also an investment in someone’s dreams, a measure of faith in ability and determination, and a connection with the team’s values. For an athlete, the support given by a sponsor is invaluable. In fact, it’s more than support; it’s a vote of confidence; it’s an opportunity to achieve; it promises the joy of bringing along a “family” when there is triumph. For this reason, we’d like to take time to introduce you to our sponsors. We cannot thank them enough for their support of Team OAM/Now, its athletes, its goals and visions, and its values. The post Sponsor Spotlight: Giant Bicycles appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Giving Back: JoAnn Cranson Rides Tandem at Michigan Blind Athletic Associate Sports Camp and Gets Back More Than She Ever Expected

June 22nd, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By JoAnn Cranson, Team OAM Now Cyclist It was Friday, late afternoon, after a long week at work and my motivation level had bottomed. Why had I signed up to assist with tandem rides for youth at Michigan Blind Athletic Association Sports Camp on that night? I fretted over it. Riding a tandem bike really requires two people working together and I worried that my partner and I would struggle. How could I help balance my partner on the bike, particularly when some might be my size or bigger?

The Michigan Blind Athletic Association Sports Camp aims to encourage students who are blind, grades K-12, to explore and discover their athletic abilities. While most of the young athletes are from Michigan, they do get participants from all over the United States. For many, it is their first opportunity to participate, while others are learning that they have incredible potential to not only participate, but excel in athletic pursuits. On that Friday, May 15, I was pleased to learn that some of the young athletes had previous exposure to cycling; it was great to see that their loved ones had already shared a little about cycling with them. However, my first rider had never been on a bike before; I watched as she got a sense of the bike by feeling the seat, the pedals, handlebars, connecting bars, and every part of the bike—forming an image of it in her mind. She asked many questions until it made as much sense as it could before a rider has a firsthand experience. I started off as a poor teacher; I took many things for granted, but soon learned to explain the importance of each part of the bike, what I would be doing, and what I would need from each of them – “keep pedaling to stay balanced,” “pedal harder when we are going uphill to keep moving,” “yeah, it’s okay to coast downhill.” In some ways, the learning curve might have been greater for me as a teacher than for them as a rider.

When it came time to ride, I didn’t hear one “I won’t” or “I can’t,” but rather each individual showed amazing courage and willingness to embrace the unknown. The trust and understanding the youth showed in following instructions was amazing to me. Everyone did their part on our tandem ride, relying on me for verbal instructions for parts that required sight. For instance: “We are going to be stopping soon, and on the count of three, I need you to take your right foot off the pedal, lean over, and put it down on the ground. Ready? One, Two, Three.” It was a smooth stop for every rider – all 10 of them. After riding with the younger participants, Jessica and Scott, two college-age athletes who are blind, asked to ride with me as well. As soon as Jessica was pedaling, her joy was infectious; I was smiling ear-to-ear listening to the glee in her voice as she asked questions and made comments. Both of their lives are inspirational. Jessica just completed the Borgess ½ marathon with running guides to help her, and Scott ran in the Boston Marathon. Jessica is looking to complete a bi- or triathlon. Scott trains 3 hours/day indoors on a stationary bike getting ready for a triathalon.

Both are actively looking for captains in the Kalamazoo area to assist them in reaching these goals. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in captaining for them, please let me know (I can be reached through Team OAM Now), and I can get you their contact information. You will be both inspired and motivated. The experience clearly changed my attitude, prejudices, and perceptions about young athletes who are blind. In fact, I expected that most of the kids would simply be along for a thrill ride on the back of a tandem bike, but instead each was courageous, excited about sports and cycling, and eager to put in effort; sometimes it’s nice to be wrong. The camp obviously offers an invaluable experience to the participants, but also for the volunteers. I may have gotten more benefit and energy from the students than I was able to give them in return. It always amazes me that when you volunteer to help others, you often receive more from the experience than the people you are helping. All in all, it was a pretty great way to spend a Friday night. The post Giving Back: JoAnn Cranson Rides Tandem at Michigan Blind Athletic Associate Sports Camp and Gets Back More Than She Ever Expected appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Double Downpour Tri- Team OAM Now Wins Several Podiums at Double Time Tri

June 21st, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Brian Reynolds, Team OAM Now Triathlete

Typically in a triathlon athletes are only suppose to be soaked during the swim leg. However, May 30th, at the Double Time Triathlon, I was soaked during the bike and part of the run as well. It was my first rainy triathlon experience.

On the morning of the race, the weather forecast showed a 60% chance of rain which made me think more about the rain than the race. I did not prepare any special equipment for rain beside a rain coat, which obviously I did not wear during the race. When I got to the race I saw several familiar faces from Team OAM Now, my Kalamazoo Masters swim group, and past participants I’ve encountered at other races. There were over 40 competitors in the triathlon.

Ten minutes before the swim, the rain started to come down hard, though it did not phase me much since I was already wet and in race mode. When the horn went off, I sprinted to the front of the pack. About 50 yards into the swim, I could spot on my left the one and only Raquel Torres. I knew Raquel was a strong swimmer in the field, so I got behind her to draft. Isn’t that what teammates are for? Teammate Paul Raynes thought the swim was interesting with the sound of heavy rain. After the swim, it was a long transition to the bike. The rain was still coming down hard, so I had to be very cautious on the bike. The bike was a 11.3 mile, one-loop course which was mostly flat with several potholes within the first few miles. Unfortunately, Michelle Dalton’s husband James crashed in the early miles of the bike leg after hitting a deep pothole which was covered with water. Michelle stopped her race to help James. Several OAM teammates and I encountered potholes, but thankfully there were no crashes. While the rain gradually let up during the bike leg, I credit it with taking my mind off the race and helping me relax.

I felt pretty good on the run and receiving encouragement from both competitors and spectators along the out and back course felt great. Paul (Raynes) was happy to have dry feet during the run because he remembered to cover his running shoes with a plastic bag. Paul see-sawed back and forth with Matt Gunderson on the bike (no drafting) and they were able to pace together for about half of the run. Whenever you can stick with teammate for that much of the race, it’s great to have the support and encouragement.

Overall, it was a good day for Team OAM. Below are the team results:

Brian Reynolds – Overall Tri Winner

Cricket Howard – Overall AB Winner

Matt Gunderson- Overall DU Winner

Paul Raynes – 1st AG

Mark Olson – 3rd AG

I would just like to thank Jim Mishler and Spirit Racing for putting on a great grassroots race. For a small event, it was well-supported and organized. It’s not too often to have a police squad cars at every major turn during a bike course. Mishler’s next big event is the Gull Lake Triathlon on June 27th which, once upon a time, was the first triathlon I ever did.

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A Stellar Beginner Program For New Racers Makes Michigan Racing Better

June 19th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Collin Snyder, Team OAM Now Cyclist We recently wrapped up the newly instated Beginner Racing Program or BRP for Michigan racers. The BRP was modeled off a program started in Northern California nearly 30 years ago in order to teach new racers the basics of racing in a safer, non-racing environment. The program is a 5-week course focusing on the following topics:

Basic pack skills – Protecting your front wheel
Cornering – Choosing and holding your line
Pack Awareness Skills
Sprinting basics
Bringing it all together

The goal of this program is to help grow cycling by allowing young riders to ask questions and learn the basics without having to suffer the sometimes painful consequences of learning from mistakes made during races. Instilling the basics leads to not only a safer peloton for all, but it also leads to racers having fun and returning, race after race. The clinic was lead by Ann Arbor Velo Club’s Lucas Wall and featured two of Team OAM Now/Athletic Mentors riders, Terry Ritter and Collin Snyder. Attendance was great and featured riders of all ages, from 12 to over 60, all with the same goal, learning to ride safer. After over an hour of skill drills and Q&A sessions, a short 10-lap practice race was held to put those new skills to the test.

I started racing eight years ago, with virtually no one to guide me. I learned what I could from reading online, watching the faster guys, and finally through trial and error. Naturally, my form was less than perfect. On the left is a picture of me from my first crit during the Tour of Kensington in 2007. I hung with the pack for about half the race, only to blow up. In that race, there was one crash, plenty of choppy corners, squirrelly moves, and brake lock-ups. One thing I remember was how terrifying it was to go through a corner, at speed, with 25 other guys within an arm’s reach. Notice my bad form while sprinting in the photo here. These are the very things the BRP is designed to help new racers understand. Cornering was pretty much the concern of every racer who showed up. Those who felt they were okay in a straight line still felt nervous taking any corner at speed. They would have to slow way down in each corner, causing a huge gap to form. Every corner, they would have to exert a 100% effort sprint to catch up. It was only a matter of time until we could hear a loud audible “POP!” coming from their legs, well before the finish. One thing I focused on with them was the proper position on the bike while handling corners (demonstrated perfectly by Team OAM Now’s very own Dan Yankus in the picture below).

Dan Yankus

As weeks went by in the BRP, we could feel the confidence in the field increase. The new riders started taking smooth, single arc turns, looking more relaxed, and making predictable moves. The hope is these riders will have the confidence to continue to show up at races, increasing the field size year after year. As these racers progress, they will be safer riders and terms like “Crash Fives” will fade into distant memories. If you missed the BRP and are still interested in learning the basics, or brushing up on those rusty skills, join us on Friday, July 10th as Team OAM Now will be doing what we do best, mentoring riders at the Miller Energy Criterium Racer Clinic. There is no fee if you pre-register, so do it today! While you’re at it, sign up for the other great races that weekend including the Miller Energy Crit and Race for the Wishes. For more info: USAC Begininger Racer Program July 10th Racer Clinic 2015 Miller Energy Crit Maple Hill Race for the Wishes The post A Stellar Beginner Program For New Racers Makes Michigan Racing Better appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Lessons Learned: How to Lose a Cat-5 Road Race

June 18th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Tristan Greathouse, Team OAM Now Cyclist

Typically, I avoid racing on asphalt in favor of powering through the mud, but the morning of the Road Race State Championships in Mount Pleasant, I just couldn’t help myself. I groggily stumbled out of bed at 4:30 in the morning to make the drive from Kalamazoo to Mount Pleasant for my second road race ever. As I lined up for the race, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic about my chances of pulling on the champion’s jersey upon the conclusion of the Category-5 race. My numbers in training had been fantastic, and I was brimming with confidence. Later on, as I freewheeled across the finish line, nearly 10 minutes back from the winner, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed with my rookie mistakes. So without further delay, I give you my fool-proof steps on how to lose a Cat-5 race: (1) Spend the week leading up to your race reading books like Half Man, Half Bike, an autobiography of one of the best racers to ever live. After reading about Eddy Merckx attacking 70 km from the finish into a headwind to win Milan San Remo, I couldn’t help but believe I had the capability to mimic such an attack. Easy enough, right? (2) Go into the race with a well-thought out strategy, and abandon it as soon as you get bored watching the heart rate on your Garmin bounce between 108 and 112 BPM as you sit in the peloton. Sometimes this means attacking 19 miles into a 53 mile slog due to a bad case of impatience. Make sure it significant enough to make even the great Jens Voigt proud. (3) Channel your inner Marco Pantani and pour everything you have into the pedals. Better to go down in a magnificent blaze of glory with your dignity intact than be beaten without ever trying. (4) Make sure your solo break doesn’t get absorbed by the peloton until you have used up every last store of energy in your body. Sometimes this means 22 lonely miles at 24.1 mph with nothing but legs flooded with lactic acid for company. (5) When you get caught and subsequently dropped by the chasers, form your own one-man gruppeto. Don’t forget to enjoy the scenery as you make your way back to the finish line. Who needs the snow-capped views of the Alps when you have the beautiful cornfields of Michigan?

In all seriousness, there will always be lessons to learn from races, even ones you win, and this lesson just happened to be super-sized. My coach always tells me that road races aren’t won by the strongest riders, but rather the smartest ones. While I can take solace in the fact that I was certainly the strongest rider on the day, I also know I was undoubtedly the dumbest. I guess I have to work on more than just my fitness before the next race. Luckily, Team OAM Now’s John Hurn saved the day, taking 5th place in our race as retribution for his crash a few weeks ago in Frankenmuth. Knowing I still have plenty of time to learn the ropes, I can’t be too disappointed with my results. With more experience under my belt, I can’t help but be excited for the BTR Criterium and Maple Hill Race for Wishes on my home training roads in just a few weeks’ time. The post Lessons Learned: How to Lose a Cat-5 Road Race appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

The Life of a 135-Pounder

June 17th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Chris Gottwald, Team OAM Now Cyclist

Want to know what it’s really like to race a Criterium at the Pro / Cat I level? You might be surprised!

After 24 years of racing in the elite ranks, one of the most popular questions is what is like to perform at this level? The reality is that there are several different types of riders, each one with a different experience. One of the more amusing parts of my career is that I am a very different breed and, as such, I have to ride a very different type of race than other riders.

First off, I am small. How small? About 135 lbs on a HEAVY day and about 5’9” tall… all of it legs (34” inseam). I am often mistaken as a female ballet dancer rather than a World Record holding bicycle racer. Some of my nick names include: half pint, spider, and man-child. Ironically though, it makes me fast, even more so when the course points upward. In the typical American-style Criterium race though, I just plain old suffer like a dog.

Take for example last season, at the Gaslight Criterium, I got another huge piece of humble pie. My great friends, and team mates, Cory Stange (who came in 1st in the Michigan Race Series) finished 6th and Dan Yankus finished close behind at 8th. As for me? I was 23rd. For the typical spectator, I am sure my performance looked average. The truth is though my average power was the highest I had seen in quite some time while racing: 257 Watts for 90 minutes. Truth be told, I can produce a little over 270 watts for 90 minutes thanks to the phenomenal coaching of Mark Olson, however, remember: 135 lbs. and 5’9”.

Here’s what it feels like:

Every time we headed up the home stretch, and around the back stretch, most guys easily accelerated to over 30MPH using their huge legs, that look more like they belong on a draft horse. My only option is to dig deep, producing over 500 watts 2 times a lap for 90 minutes. Once the pace settles, I try to rest a little, but since speed is a function of power I don’t really get much. I suffer to accelerate like the bigger guys. The headwind on the back stretch and the tail wind on the front stretch gave the bigger guys the advantage too! I had to wonder if I’d ever get a break?

Typically, my power ranks right up there to stay in a race. If I look at my power delivery over a race there are amazing highs and peaks. So, even though I’m using a lot more to create that power, a bigger guy using that same amount of power can’t cycle through those peaks as many times as I can. I can do more and I can recover. I can hang in a very long time. For example, at The Herman Miller Crit, 96 guys started on cobblestone, in the rain, and only 35-40 finished. It’s a tough race, but I can do that, which is surprising to many with my size. They all wanted to know how I do it.

If I have it my way, I’ll make the break, ride smart in the break, throw in a few efforts to wear the big guys down and maybe beat a few guys at the line. I try to minimize how many matches I burn making the race and pedal a little deeper in the turns. It’s all about trying to be efficient. I can corner pretty well to due to my size and flexibility. The eventual Gas Light Crit winner, David Williams, rode my kind of race. Smaller riders like us have to ride differently; we have to time things exactly right. His move was brilliantly timed. There was a group of riders ahead of me, who didn’t have much of a lead, and I thought I’d wait to see what happened. I didn’t see either of the Williams brothers around, so I pulled hard to join the group. When I finally pulled out in front of them, Dave Williams came from behind to counter and I was spent. Unfortunately, it was too late for me to do anything. I made the early mistake by putting in a herculean effort, only to find both Williams brothers on my wheel. When they countered I had simply dug too deep and could not answer the call. It was a huge mistake. Never ever put in an effort so tough that you cannot go with the counter, because that’s when the break goes and it did.

The Gas Light had a happy ending though. The men’s elite team really clicked last year. We all know each other like brothers and we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Dan and Cory both knew that was about all I had for the moment and smartly covered the move. A big thanks to both of them!

In closing what’s it like to race at this level? Quite a blessing! It’s unimaginable to most and just plain crazy to others. To me, it’s the way I roll and what I feel called to do. There is no sign of me slowing down any time soon. I simply love to race. As for another pack finish at Gas Light…I learned another lesson. Hope to see you out on the road soon. Thanks for reading!

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Think You Can’t Hang With the “Fast Guys”? Think Again …

June 16th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By JoAnn Cranson, Team OAM Now Cyclist Tackling a century ride can be daunting to a cyclist. While base miles under your belt are key, if you know how to draft, the 100 miles go by a lot more easily. I signed up for the Grand Rapids “100 Grand Bicycle Tour” on June 6th. This tour had options for 17, 35, 65 and 105 miles. I wanted to ride with my Team OAM Now teammates and noticed I was going to be the only woman to ride the 105 miles with them. Even though I don’t have the same power or speed as the men, I knew it was “all about the draft”. I believed I could stay with them if I used the draft and saved my energy for when I needed it. If you don’t know about drafting, it’s something you must learn to do. Drafting is not about being able to go faster, it’s about making your ride easier and less tiring. It can reduce energy expenditure during long rides by nearly 30% less energy. When you’re covering long distance on a bike, that’s a lot!

The key to drafting is riding safely and effectively in a paceline. A good paceline is smooth and built on trust. It requires that no rider do anything suddenly. Each rider has to be confident that the others in the group will communicate well and ride safely. The best way to learn is to work with a few experienced riders and practice before you try to jump in a big paceline. Pacelines are either single or double. In a single paceline, everyone lines up behind the first rider, who maintains a constant speed. The rotation occurs when the front rider pulls off to the side and drifts to the back of the line. The next rider then sets the pace. Riders stay on the front for anything from a few seconds to several minutes. Ideally, you want to be 6″-12″ away from the rider in front of you, although you can get a good draft a wheel’s length away. In other words, getting too close is not absolutely essential. It is also important that you do not ride up along the side the rear wheel of the person in the pace line ahead of you; this is called “overlapping wheels” and can cause a fall if the rider ahead of you swerves to avoid an object in the road.

Finding the correct drafting position behind a rider is directly related to wind direction, which constantly changes with twists and turns in the road. Try to gauge the wind direction the next time you go out to ride by witnessing trees as they sway in the wind. If the wind isn’t affecting trees then the draft behind a rider will most likely be a direct line, or headwind, as you ride. A few key points to remember when riding in a paceline: 1. Be aware of upcoming obstacles by keeping your head up and be on the lookout for dangerous situations as they develop. Just because another rider is at the front of a paceline doesn’t mean the riders behind shouldn’t be alert. Watch for upcoming obstacles: cars, potholes, rocks, other riders, etc. If you are in the front or toward the front, communicate “hole,” “car up,”“slowing,” or other changes/obstacles to riders at the back. 2. Also, be cautious of cars approaching from behind. Riders in the back should communicate to riders in the front by calling “Car Back” to notify riders farther up in the paceline of the approaching vehicle. 3. Fluctuations in speed quickly sap a group’s energy just like when you’re on your own doing a time trial. Try to maintain a constant speed. 4. Go easy on the brakes and anticipate pace changes. Try to reduce the accordion or “yo-yo” effect as much as possible. 5. Stay relaxed and don’t grip the handlebars too tight. If you’re relaxed, you can look right/left and still hold a straight line. Holding a line is very important within the context of a group as each member is reliant upon the other members to maintain safety. 6. Pull off into the wind as others may be overlapping your wheel to the draft side. 7. Don’t throw your bike back as you get out of the saddle. Stand up into the bike and bring the bike forward. Learning how to draft effectively can make all the difference in your success on long rides. Again, it’s best to practice this before you go out to conquer a distance that’s new to you, but with a great team and a great paceline, you can really challenge yourself. I was able to finish 105 miles with 15-20 mph winds with a great group of guys and it was all about the draft. The post Think You Can’t Hang With the “Fast Guys”? Think Again … appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Road Block: Coping with Injury

June 9th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete

My time over winter break was spent training hard. I returned to school, excited to continue and prepare for my first “A” race of the year – USAT Collegiate Club Nationals in Clemson, South Carolina at the end of April. I was going to race the draft-legal sprint and the Olympic triathlon. However, only three days into the semester, I noticed a strange pinching sensation in my pelvis. As an athlete, I’m accustomed to shutting out physical discomfort. Disaster struck when I was out on a run and began to experience unbearable pain shooting through my pelvis with every footfall. By the time I hobbled back to my house, I couldn’t even lift my leg high enough to get in the shower. In a panic, I called my massage therapist, Paul Raynes, from the Conscious Core. I wanted him to tell me it was probably just muscle, but as I described my pain, he expressed concern over a labral tear or a pelvic stress fracture. Both options were terrifying, so my next call was to Orthopedic Associates of Michigan (OAM). I knew that by going there, I could see an orthopedic specialist right away, and I could go in after hours, so I didn’t need to miss any classes. I had already been to OAM for a cartilage tear in my wrist, so I was confident that I would receive excellent care. I was seen immediately and the doctor identified what appeared to be a stress fracture on my radiographs. This diagnosis was later confirmed by MRI, and I was devastated to learn that it would be months before I could run again. Not only were the collegiate nationals out of the picture, but I didn’t even know if I would be able to race at all this season. Naturally, I became distraught and struggled for months with emotional pain far greater than my physical pain. However, I learned several coping strategies that I think apply to many different circumstances in which your plans are altered by non-preventable circumstances. 1) Stay calm. The more you stress about your situation, the harder it is for your body to heal. Get help from a back injury attorney Chicago, if you dont think you can handle all your cases by yourself. Hiring a lawyer will help you get some rest and not worry about the hectic procedures. If you allow yourself to become over-stressed, you will be unable to eat and sleep properly; both nutrition and rest are vital for healing. Also, adding stress to your body diverts its attention away from the healing process. 2) Confide in people. I was very lucky to be able to talk to my coach Mark Olson, my sports psychologist, and several triathlete friends who really understood what I was going through. Allowing myself to be vulnerable and talk to people about my anxiety really helped me stay emotionally stable. 3) Follow the rules. As hard as it was to take the time off of running, listening to my doctor and my coach allowed me to heal quickly and *hopefully* completely. 4) Don’t let yourself get stagnant. My devastating run was on a Thursday, and I was in too much pain to even walk without feeling nauseous for several days. However, I didn’t let myself wallow long – by Monday I was back in the pool. In the next several months, I swam and cycled harder than I have in my life and stayed in shape throughout injury. Instead of having several wasted months, I focused on becoming a better athlete in the other disciplines. 5) Set new goals. I was really disappointed about not being able to race tris the beginning of the season, but I decided to start competing in aquabike and road races. Having a new race goal kept me excited and motivated to continue training. 6) Stay involved in the sport. Sure, I cried a few times when I opened Strava and saw my friends laying down killer runs while I couldn’t even walk properly, but I still stayed involved in the sport. I continued to follow race results, volunteer at races, and hang out with my triathlete friends. That way, I kept the sport I love fresh and alive in my life. Remember, the goal is always to return to competition as safely, and quickly, as possible after an injury. In order to do that, having a recovery plan that takes into account the emotional trials as well as the physical ones is crucial. That plan will allow you, and your body, to take the time needed to come back ready to compete strong. The post Road Block: Coping with Injury appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

DNF: When Bike Meets Tree

June 8th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete When forward progress on a bicycle is stopped by anything other than the brakes, it is likely that things won’t end well. Mountain biking presents endless possibilities for halting forward movement on a bike such as rocks, roots and, of course, trees. Wet roots and ultimately a tree, came into play for me at the USA Triathlon Offroad National Championships in Pelham, Alabama on May 16.

I had committed to racing the USAT Offroad Nationals back in November. This race was also the XTERRA Southeast Regional Championships, which was a qualifier for the XTERRA World Championships, and one I’d been wanted to do for years. The day after Iceman, I went out for my first run in over a month. It was a slow two miles, but it was a beginning. From there, I sat down to map out my training plan that would prepare me over the next 6.5 months for my longest race in 3 years. I have been racing offroad triathlon (swim, mountain bike, trail run) consistently for the last 9 years, but have only done a handful of championship distance (1500 meter swim, 30K mountain bike, 10K trail run) in that time. Preparation would require a bit more time and planning than recent years. Michigan winters add a level of complexity to a training plan as weather can be very unpredictable and quality riding and running can be difficult to come by for long stretches of time. However, swim training is never impacted by weather, unless the school is closed for a snow day. Therefore, swimming became my focus for the “off season” and I planned 3 days per week in the pool, working up to an average of 7500 yards per week. I also spent 8 weeks attending the Athletic Mentors Swim Class to help improve my stroke and efficiency in the water. I did not spend much time on the bike over the winter, but I did try to attend one spin class per week for intensity and did one “long” ride outside on the weekend when weather permitted. When spring finally arrived and the trails dried out, I had to cram in some 2.5 hour rides on single track to replicate my race conditions. Last fall, I acquired a new Giant Anthem Advanced 27.5 and still needed to get acquainted with the full suspension and smaller wheel base. By the time I left for Alabama, I was feeling confident on the new bike and ready to ride aggressively. For a while, the run training was going really well, then work/real life, started placing demands on my time and energy levels. Such is the life of an amateur. That being said, I was able to maintain one or two runs per week and I raced a 5K every month from March – May to test my progress. I was happy with my speed heading into my “A” race. Throw in a couple of weeks of brick training, and I was ready to go. The venue for the championship was Oak Mountain State Park, which boasts some of the coolest mountain bike trails in the nation and one of the IMBA’s EPIC rides. I had the opportunity to pre-ride the course two days prior to the race to get a feel for the terrain and test out the bike on the technical trails. I felt pretty good about being able to race the course with confidence, but was a bit concerned about how tight and technical (roots and turns) the trail was for the first 5 – 6 miles, when the field is scrambling for position after the swim with limited passing room.

Race morning was peaceful and there had been some rain overnight that left the trails damp and roots wet and slippery. The water temp was 78.something, which was too warm for wet suits to be allowed. There were 3 swim waves separated by 2 minutes each with the pro field starting first, followed by men under 50 and then women and men 50+. I would have preferred a mass start of the 230 amateurs because I felt I could have been out of the water ahead of some of the under 50 men and had a few less bodies to deal with on the trails. The swim course was about 200 meters long based on fellow racers GPS watches and swim times, but I felt like I had a great swim. The swim was a two lap swim with a run along the shore in between. The entire second lap I had someone drafting me as I frequently felt my toes being touched. I will take that as a compliment that my pace and sighting were acceptable. My swim time landed me dead center of the pack for the women, but my T1 (transition from swim to bike) time was 5^th overall for the women. I was the 3^rd person in my age group out on the bike. I had a good shot at finishing 3^rd with the strength of my bike and run. However, I lost that shot about 3 miles into the bike course. The first mile required much patience as a slower rider was blocking the trail and there weren’t many safe places to pass. After getting around a few riders, a line of us were slowed up again, but quickly made our way around another female rider. It was just after this pass, that I put the hammer down, but found myself headed sideways at a tree. Rather than take the blow with my shoulder, I straightened the wheel and rode straight into it. My front wheel twisted 90 degrees and was now parallel with my handlebars. As I hit the tree, the back of my bike flew up and the guy on my tail rear-ended me and sent me to the ground. I tweaked my back a little, but no major damage. I took out my multi-tool, straightened my wheel, and assured other fellow racing friends that were now beginning to fly by that I was OK. Hopping back on the trail after countless riders had passed, I found that the front end of my bike was rattling. I stopped and grabbed the wheel and tried to shake it, fearing the hub was toast after the impact, but the wheel didn’t move. So, I got back on the bike and tried to ride. The rattling and instability ensued, so I stopped a third time to check again. This time I grabbed the fork and was able to move it back and forth. NOT GOOD. I didn’t know what was wrong and knew the trail was too technical to go into it with a compromise fork. At the first park road, I exited the trail and road a couple of miles back to the start. The local bike shop was on site and I had the mechanic check things out. Apparently, I had hit the tree hard enough to knock my headset loose, which explained the rattle. Everything else checked out ok, so fortunately no costly repairs to my bike either.

At this point, I didn’t know how to feel. I was mad because I crashed; I was happy because I wasn’t hurt; I was sad that I put in all that training to not even finish and I felt relieved that I didn’t have to ride blood rock. I still had a lot of friends in the race so I offered to volunteer and spent the rest of the day passing out water in transition and directing traffic across the run course. That whole lemons and lemonade thing, I guess. I definitely want to come back to this event next year as the venue and racing atmosphere were top notch. XTERRA knows how to support a race with a fantastic crew and the southern hospitality and warmth of Alabama can’t be beat. This year wasn’t my year, but I survived to race another day and had the opportunity to celebrate the podium finishes of many of my XTERRA friends. The post DNF: When Bike Meets Tree appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.