Making the Leap from Olympic to Half-Ironman

December 20th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Raquel Torres, Team Athletic Mentors Triathlete

In September I made my second attempt at the 70.3 distance in Georgia at the Augusta 70.3.  In my first half at Racine, the swim was canceled due to weather and they made it into a duathlon. Despite the different race format, I learned from this and spent a few days after the event to focus on several aspects to improve.

Months of many changes in my personal life, I started paying attention to my thoughts, making self-assessments that focused me on cultivating new mental habits in order to achieve a more positive attitude. I focused on what I have control over- working on the details, focusing on the present and most of all enjoying life in general since being happy should be a basic ingredient for any goal.

Triathlon, triathlon training, triathlon racing is a sport with both physical and mental requirements, so it is vital to have a balanced life to see satisfactory results regardless of your competition level.

For this second attempt at the IM 70.3 I didn’t think my head was in the right place, but some angels advised me to do it! I eventually figured let’s try it, I can go with my daughter as we can drive Augusta Trip 16 Chantalthere, I would be with company and it could be an adventure and not be so expensive.

We drove from Michigan to Georgia about 10 hours, we arrived at about 3:45 am to the hotel.  After some rest the next day was the briefing and I swam a little. I remember thinking “Raquel do not place high expectations,” but I honestly I made a mental plan for the race, knowing I had some details to adjust such as using my powermeter, which my Coach Mark Olson had been wanting me to use for months and months. Power is widely used to better manage energy during the bike is a great important part of this distance and it makes the difference in race pacing.

I got my period the night before, I have such good aim!, but I thought “Rachel you have done well and others do succeed” Excuses can be in the thousands, FOCUS! It did not have good nutrition the day before which has been happening to me and I’m working with new ways, as I have heard and read that the fourth discipline of long distance triathlon is the nutrition.

Dinner and lunch the day before the race did not taste good, but I thought it would be ok since I have enough glycogen. But this turned out to be another one of my mistakes.

A bed at about 10:00 PM I slept really well and at 4:00 am the alarm sounded. I took my protein as usual, and a slice of bread. Its my eternal struggle to be able to eat something so early in the morning.

Augusta 16, WaterAt the transition, I remember to take me some gummies minutes before departure and my stomach began to hurt. I thought it was nerves, but really I was not nervous.
I said to myself,  “Raquel warm up, and forget about the whining.”
I did not get in the water to warm up as I was afraid to get cold and the start was a water start.
Soon enough it was, “on your mark…” “beeeeeee”

• Swim
My strategy was not to go too fast, because I tend to sprint in the water, so I checked myself and stayed at a very comfortable pace. I found two other fast swimmers and I just stayed on their feet even though I could tell that I was going slower than my capacity, but I chose to stay there. It was a very comfortable pace for me and we quickly reached the last buoy and I removed my goggles to see the end. I asked the guard where was the exit was because ​​I did not want to be disqualified even if I lost a few seconds there, I came out 6th out of the water, very fresh.  So far so good ….

• BikeAugusta 16-bike
As soon as I got on the bike  my strategy was to stay focused on nutrition, hydration and have a good mental state.  Therefore, I had no plan for watts or speed. I had stomach problems right away since taking the first gel. I said, “Raquel these are the things you have to overcome.” I kept going, but did not want to eat or drink. At first we were 8 riders together one passing the other, again and again, it was for me uncomfortable because they even gave me a yellow card without justification,  as she passed me and then slowed down.
Although I definitely could not feed well the last 20 kms I did recover and my body warmed up a bit.

• Run
When I started I felt super good, light legs, fresh mind and a lot of motivation, the course was beautiful through the city of Augusta. A lot of encouragement, lots of spectators and it was warm, but not stifling. I drank plenty of water at the beginning, of course I did not hydrate well on the bike. So I started getting upset and I felt very weak, I started to slow the rate at 5 kilometers, and by 8 km my legs were heavy, I had no energy and my stomach hurt. I sat one minute, people told me to go, I ran, and stood and said “Raquel finish it, even you have to jog” … and continued … 3 km more, then again walked and then I stopped. “Sniff sniff.” I thought that this was nonsense. I did not come to end an event- I came to do the best I can! Then I saw a water station that was what I wanted and poured myself a Coke and fell to the floor.

In retrospect, I think I can draw many positives of this learning experience, I’m doing a very challenging sport in the physical, spiritual, mental, family, economic aspects and more. Training and racing. I know what are the challenging areas in my life to this sport, and what are the areas where I can make adjustments and changes for better results.
Th distance change to 70.3 shows much room for improvement. Sometimes mistakes can be called excuses, but these “excuses” or negative part of the experiences are potentials for improvement. I think there’s always a new day to start, improve, become a better person, human being and in my case also an athlete.

Always whatever the result: turn the pages to the left, reflect, seek learning, correct and move forward!

“The best way out is always through.”
Robert Frost

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Athletic Mentors’ Alumnus Stefan Noesen Scores First NHL Goal for Ducks

December 8th, 2016 by Athletic Mentors
Athletic Mentor Hockey Camp Alumnus Stefan Noeson scores his first NHL goal for the Annaheim Ducks

Athletic Mentor Alumnus Scores First NHL Goal 3 Games Into Career with Anaheim Ducks. Image and screen shot of headline from AnnaheimDucks.com.

Congratulations  to Athletic Mentors’ mentoree and alumnus Stephan Noesen who did us proud last night scoring his first NHL goal for the Anaheim Ducks.

“Stefan has been an outstanding member of Athletic Mentors’ Hockey Camp and has worked hard to build his strength, speed, and agility after injuries. His unstoppable nature made this moment a triumph over past tribulations,” AM Coach Mark Olson said. “We’re ecstatic for him!”

According to a press release published by the Anaheim Ducks, Noesen buried a one-timer from the slot in the second period of Anaheim’s eventual 6-5 shootout victory over the visiting Hurricanes, raising both fists to the rafters and breaking out in a beaming ear-to-ear grin. Wednesday night was just his third NHL game with the Ducks.

“I saw the red light and threw my hands up,” said the 23-year-old winger. “It was all the emotion from two long years coming at me all at once.”

Watch Stefan’s First NHL Goal

According to a story by Adam Brady for the AnaheimDucks.com, those two years were more than any athlete should be asked to endure. Noesen  battled through not one, but two devastating injuries that each kept him off the ice for extended periods of time. First was the torn ACL, MCL and meniscus suffered soon after being acquired by the Ducks in 2013, and a year later there was the partially torn Achilles that put him on the shelf for most of the 2014-15 campaign.

Brady wrote that in an odd way, Noesen had an impact on the Ducks franchise even before he was acquired by Anaheim. Ducks GM Bob Murray has acknowledged that Anaheim wanted to take Noesen with the 22nd selection of the 2011 NHL Draft, but the Senators snatched him up one pick prior. The Ducks quickly swung a deal with Toronto to send that 22nd pick to the Leafs for the 30th and 39th, which became franchise cornerstones Rickard Rakell and John Gibson.

Two years later the Ducks got Noesen anyway, dealing Bobby Ryan to Ottawa for Jakob Silfverberg, Noesen and a 2014 first round draft pick they used to select Nick Ritchie.

Read the full story of Noesen’s triumph here:

https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/an-emotional-milestone-for-noesen/c-284514808


3 Big Lessons I Learned this Season

December 6th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Jeff Nordquist, Team Athletic Mentors Multi-Sport Athlete

nordquist

Seems like every year we learn lessons from our season of racing, this year was no exception. I had few highlights and plenty of mistakes. Yet, there is always a lesson to be told from every experience, here are some of mine.

1. Under-training for long races. This year’s event was real long, The 2016 Bayshore Marathon, which happened to be my first 26.2 race.  I had a slow start to spring training and decided to train my way through the race, no biggie, I’ve raced like this before. The only issue is covering such a large distance with a body that hasn’t been tested. I finished 10 minutes off my goal and crossed the line in 2:40. The real disappointment was the months to follow, developing a stress reaction in my foot, which brought my triathlon season to a halt.

My advice: Don’t train your way through a marathon.

2. Racing with one brake on a mountain bike.  I had a less than eventful crash this past summer. I lost momentum on a steep hill and fell over, pathetic, I know. The majority of my back brake lever snapped off. After finishing my ride, I quickly believed a rear brake was expendable. Bad choice.  Racing cyclecross a few weeks later, I found myself a bit too fast on a sweeping downhill with no back brake, you can paint the picture from here.

My advice: Don’t undermine your back brake’s significance.

3. Road tires are not meant for grass. I had a great experience with my first crit race. Plenty of prep, I had game plan, and most importantly I felt confident.  The only issue was being on the wrong side of the last turn. Sitting a few lengths behind the leader, the odds were in my favor, until that back tire ahead of me decided to force me closer to the outside edge of the road, before I realize, my 23mm wide tires hit soft grass, and that was quite the maneuver to watch at 28mph. More than likely I had room to stay on pavement, but my reaction was too much costing me a chance at the win.

My advice: Go for the gold, not the grass.

I always reflect on the season and make adjustments based of past experiences, I’m excited to see what 2017 has for me, and hopefully next time around I have fewer mistakes to talk about.

 

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The School of Longevity – Recreating Yourself

November 20th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson
–By Paul Raynes, Team Athletic Mentors Multi-Sport Athlete I’ve been involved in endurance sports for nearly forty years and have not missed a season of training and competition since 1977. Not to say I haven’t had set backs and challenges. Along the way it’s been a necessity to recreate myself as an athlete due to life changes, injuries(visit site link for  help on injuries) and the natural process of aging. Raynes Pace for Poverty 2015 At age 20, I began running to lose weight and to keep up with my older brother who had already joined the approximately twenty-five million Americans who embraced the running boom back in the 1970’s and 80’s. Back then there were mostly 5K and 10K road races and a growing sense of awareness around fitness. After a few years, I’d shed 70 pounds. Running quickly turned competitive and the overweight teenager who suffered at the back of the pack running a mile during football practice was now able to speed to a sub-18 minute 5k. That one decision – the decision to jump on the running bandwagon – was transformative and led to a healthier life. Yup, I became a transformer. I’m definitely addicted and love my daily dose of natural body chemicals. In the early days, I loved running fast (and still like to try). I could train hard without much rest/days off. However, back then I didn’t have the correct tools in my tool belt to totally support that type of running. I didn’t have adequate whole-body strength and I’m sure my mechanics suffered a bit. I can’t scientifically compare my 30-year old body at the peak of running fitness to my currently 59 year old self. I do know I can’t run as fast, but I can out cycle and swim that 30-year old from the past. I feel much stronger at 59 and I’m betting my general strength to weight ratio is much better. Around the age of 40, running seemed to be more challenging, ending with a couple knee surgeries eventually causing me to quit running and take up cycling. I contribute the knee issues to carrying too much weight, playing collision sports and less than perfect running mechanics. Even though I encountered speed bumps like knee surgery, I recovered and still worked hard to get the most out of my body. As I’ve aged (let’s call it gaining wisdom), I think more about the school of longevity. That means I continue to add tools to the athletic tool belt to keep my body strong and healthy, including smart and appropriate training plans. This gets more challenging as I age because my head wants to maintain the current or higher standard of performance. My body is not always in favor of what I demand from it – crossing that fine line from health to injury does sometimes happen. I’ve made it this far by reinventing myself several times – from runner to duathlete to bike racer to a return to duathlete and finally to triathlete. In addition to adding swimming as a tool in the past few years, I’ve added more strength training and functional movement as well. I enjoy foot hiking as a great way to take a day off and still burn a few calories (it’s nice to slow things down and take in the scenery). No matter what your age, make sure you have 4-6 tools in your athletic tool belt – as well as rest and recovery. I’ve educated myself and learned a lot from experience, some coming the hard way – and that brings me to the point of this blog. I hurt myself this season because I didn’t carry out a planned periodization for the running element of my training. This past February, I compromised my calf muscletissue. At the time it was probably a class 1-2 strain. My running was mostly short and fast during the 2015 triathlon season and since the roads stayed clear last winter I kept running hard and short. I wanted to keep and/or add speed. That was mistake #1! Normally, I would have taken a few months off from hard running and focused on longer, time-based, easy-to-moderately paced runs, and gradually brought speed back as spring rolled in. The second and third mistake involved my head getting in the way. I was in a pinch to recover, wanting to make the first team event (Strider Classic 5K), so I pushed the tissue rehab. I happily scored a first in my age group and all was well until the next week when my injury popped up again. I was warned against the same by legacy healing orlando but I was concerned as I was looking at six weeks to the Double Time Tri in May or eight weeks to GR Tri in June. I decided one way or another, I had to recover and get back to training. I pushed the recovery again with my focus on the GR Olympic. In my gut I knew I was vulnerable, but my head strong need to be in the action and compete overruled good judgment – I was ready for Double Time. I told myself I needed it as a warm up to GR and would just run it relaxed. I convinced myself this was totally rational and landed a podium finish. The injury reappeared the following week. This time it was different and I knew it was worse, possibly a stress fracture. Since, it needs medical attention, the expenses can be hefty - which demands to hire Gibson & Hughes personal injury lawyers. MRI results showed no stress fracture – just the soleus muscle tissue pulling from the bone. The doctor said, “You need to take 8 weeks off.” I replied that I would be dedicated to 8 weeks off running and would only continue to do what didn’t hurt – like cycling and swimming. I’d also do all the therapies for appropriate healing. He responded, “There’s no stopping you people.” I think he was referring to Team OAM NOW. Raynes aquabike Instead of taking the summer off, I decided to recreate myself by signing up for aqua bike events. And after four aqua bike events, and completion of the eight weeks off running, I was ready to build running back up again. I ended the season with a final sprint podium finish at the Deer Creek Challenge Triathlon. That felt good and I’ve been running regularly since. Back to the drawing board, I plan to build a run base (slow and easy) this winter and complete my first half iron next season – slowing things down and recreating myself once again. As a side note, I surprised myself with a second overall finish at the TridelSol Olympic Aqua Bike, proving that even rocks can learn to swim with good trainingJ Thanks Athletic Mentors (Cheryl). No matter your age, make sure you have plenty of tools in your tool belt so you can recreate yourself once and a while. If you are not engaging in strength training and/or some type of functional fitness – start! If you have a solo sport, add something – mix it up, keep it interesting and be healthier for it. If you have an injury, fall off your bike, or boredom sets in, you’ll have backup options. Mostly, love what you’re doing. We have an amazing support system and athletic community in Southwest Michigan. I feel fortunate to say I’m looking forward to the 2017 season – my fortieth year of endurance sports. I’m transitioning to the 60-64 age group – my ninth age group since joining the running boom of the 70’s. A lot has changed, but my love for endurance sports has not!   The post The School of Longevity – Recreating Yourself appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

I’M AN IRONMAN

November 13th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Brian Reynolds, Team Athletic Mentors Triathlete

On September 11, 2016 I raced Ironman Wisconsin.  My goal was to place high enough in my age-group in order to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.   The weather in Madison, Wisconsin could not have been more perfect for racing.  It was sunny and dry with the high temps only in the mid 70’s.  The only concern was getting sunburned, which I did unfortunately.  The race had over 2,400 participants and thousands of spectaculars swarming the transition and swim start areas.

Reynolds ironman

The race officials started letting the athletes in the water 15-20 minutes before the start of the race.  The swim was a one 2.4 mile loop in Lake Monona.  The race was a mass start meaning all swimmers started in the water at the same time.  These mass swim starts are not as common anymore since Ironman has been going to a rolling start for safety reasons.  However, the mass start was not as crowded as I originally thought because the start line was very long.  As we waited in the water for the cannon to go off the atmosphere was electric!  The athletes were getting either very excited or anxious.  The athletes around me were aiming for under a one hour swim which was my goal as well.  

The cannon goes off!  I started at a strong pace to keep up with the swimmers that went out fast.  There was a lot of pushing and hitting the first half mile.  However, I’m use to some pushing and hitting in the water since I’ve been doing triathlons for 5 years.  When I passed the mile marker I started to pass a lot of fatigued swimmers because most of them started out too fast.  I felt strong the second half of the swim as I kept picking off swimmers one by one.  When I exited the water my swim split was a 58:20!   There were fans lined up around the helix yelling and cheering which really got me pumped up and excited.  I felt great through transition and I passed at least 3 athletes through the bike transition area.

 My goal was to complete the bike course in 5 hours and 15 minutes.  The bike leg was challenging since the course was very hilly and is considered one of the hardest courses in the Ironman circuit.  The best way to describe the course was like a roller coaster ride.  There were over a 100 short steep hills that would slowly fatigue you.  There was one extremely challenging hill at mile 40 that was so steep that a lot of riders had to walk their bikes up the hill.  I was able to ride up the hill but I had to burn a lot of energy doing it.  

The best strategy for riding this course was to start conservative to ensure that you didn’t over fatigue the first half.  However, I went out a little too hard the first half and paid for it the second half.  The last 2.5 hours of the ride was really challenging as my power slowly declined.  I tried to remain positive during this tough section and reminded myself that once I got to the run that I would be fine.  The spectators on the bike course were fantastic!  There were several uphill sections with people lined up cheering for you.  Some sections felt like a mountain stage in the Tour de France.  The crowd support motivated me to keep pushing through the pain. I ended up finishing the bike leg in 5 hours and 26 minutes which was 20.6 mph average.

Reynolds IM finishAs I entered the run transition with tired legs I handed my bike to the volunteers and I ran into a building to pick up my run gear.  I had to take a quick bathroom break before I started the marathon.  I was moving very well the first 6 miles of the run because I was averaging 6:20s pace.  My goal for the marathon was 3 hours so I was well under pace so far.  Even though I was moving well I wasn’t feeling good.  My stomach was very bloated from taking in a lot of nutrition on the bike.  I was not able to take in hardly any nutrition on the run because my stomach was so upset.

After the 6 mile mark it was a struggle both mentally and physically to keep running.  My pace the next several miles gradually slowed down to a 7:10-7:30 pace towards the end of the race.  During this tough stretch I started to respect the Ironman marathon distance.  It was very different from a regular marathon where you would start out fresh.  The pain I normally experience at mile 18 in a regular marathon was what I experienced at mile 6 of the Ironman marathon.  I had to walk through some aid stations to take a mental break but I managed to grind out a 3 hour and 8 minute marathon split.

my awesome friends supporting me

As I made my way down the finishing stretch I was greeted by all my friends and family at the finish line.  I put in a final surge and ran across the finish line in 9 hours, 41 minutes, and 21 seconds.  After finishing I was absolutely exhausted.  I had to sit and lay down most of the day to help recover.  I was very fortunate to have my friends there to support me on my special day.  However, I wish I was able to celebrate more with my friends.  Instead they had to keep an eye on me and help me around to ensure I was ok.  I couldn’t thank them enough!

The next day was the Kona slot allocation and rolldown ceremonies.  My results got me a 4th place finish in my age group and 9th place overall.  It was going to be a long slot to qualify for Kona considering they announced only the top 2 athletes in my age group will be taken.  The only hope I had was the first 2 athletes not accepting an invite so it would roll down to the 3rd and 4th places.  I was not luckily because the first 2 athletes took the Kona invites.  I was disappointed that I did not go to Kona but I was still happy with my effort.  I could not have done anything more to change the results that day.  This was my first Ironman so I’m feeling very optimistic of qualifying for Kona someday.  There is no doubt that finishing an Ironman is an accomplishment in itself.   So I am proud to say that I’M AN IRONMAN!

Holding up my 4th place AG trophy

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How it All Went Down- An Iceman Cometh Race Recap

November 6th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM NOW Cyclist

There were 5,000 race stories that unfolded on Saturday, November 5th at Iceman Cometh Challenge. I wanted to share my story as it was an awesome opportunity to race with some of the best in the world and the outpouring of enthusiasm and support has been amazing. Last year I took fifth at Iceman, making it all the way to Timber Ridge with the leaders but had nothing left after pulling way too much throughout the race. This year I knew what to expect and I had every intention of racing for the win.

iceman16 patterson

Michigan native and pro road racer Allie Dragoo started right next to me!

It was a strong field as always including Catharine Pendrel- bronze medalist at Rio Olympics this year and former World Champion, Chloe Woodruff- 2016 Olympian and multiple-time National Champ, Erin Huck- 2016 National Champ, Amy Beisel- 2016 Fat Bike World Champ, and many talented roadies. I was also joined by some local superstars- Mackenzie Woodring and Susan Vigland.

Our race was the very last of the day to take off and it was fast from the gun with a super short roll out before the single track this year. I actually had a great start (this never happens) and was perfectly positioned around sixth wheel heading into the trail. It was a bit sketchy with riders changing lines unpredictably and sliding in the sand but my mission for the first half was to be patient and stay out of trouble. But less than ten minutes in, another rider merged right into me trying to jump into another line without looking behind her. I thought my race was over at that moment, but I somehow managed to stay upright. However, her and a couple riders behind us were not so lucky and this ended up to be one of the first decisive splits. Several riders including Catharine and Susan circumnavigated the crash and chased back on to create a group of nine.

I calmed down near the end of the line and closed the gaps that would open between riders after each single track section due to both accordion effect and talent differential (the mountain bike pros are basically ninjas). However, one of the more jarring descents I let a bit too wide of a gap open and I saw a group of four- Catharine, Amy, Erin, and Chloe start to ride away with Susan and Mackenzie falling off. I gunned it up “Make it Stick,” a steep multi- tiered climb, tagging onto the top group just as Erin stopped for a dropped chain.  And just like that, it was down to four.

Flow states during races are pretty incredible, when you are totally in the moment and aware of everything going on and so focused that emotions don’t impede judgement. I knew I just needed to beat one of them to get on the podium but I still felt fresh and I felt I might just be able to pull off an upset.

I wasn’t perceived as a threat so wasn’t really included in the pace line which was odd but totally fine by me. Just before Williamsburg Road Erin caught us but she dropped her chain again up the next steep climb. I felt bad for her because she was riding really well but her chain dropped nearly every climb forcing her off her bike.

The four of us hit Williamsburg Road (about 10 miles to go) and I made a huge mistake by bobbling and dropping my bottle hand-off and with temperatures in the mid-60s, I really needed it.  I refused to let my race be ruined and was resolved to get a bottle from someone.  We flew by the Rock too fast for this to be an option but a guy was watching alone on the VASA during a slower climbing section and graciously gave me his bottle (thank you, mystery man!)

 

The games had begun as our pace slowed as everyone tried to recover for the final showdown. We quickly approached “The Boonenberg,” one of the longer climbs on the VASA about six miles from the finish that I had picked out as a potential spot to attack. The whole thing felt a bit surreal but I knew I had to at least give it my best shot.

I carried a bit more momentum over the previous descent to slingshot around and rode as hard as I could and didn’t look back. (According to Strava, I clocked the 5th fastest time of the day up that climb including all the men). I kept drilling it and eventually checked to see only Chloe behind me. She was there but appeared to be dangling so I kept hammering. We crested Anita’s Hill together and I attacked again, knowing just how fast I could rail the corners on the VASA sections from countless Thursday night “Speed of Light” races on the VASA 25k when we lived in Traverse City (thanks Cody Sovis!)

I knew I might be setting her up for another win but I also thought I was very close to riding away and if nothing else, second was pretty awesome. Turns out, she had one more match left and she dropped it on me leading up to Woodchip Hill about a mile to the finish. The crowd was absolutely insane and I felt like I was racing in Europe but the effort from my extended attack had caught up with me and Chloe’s gap was established.

Photo credit: Jody Hofstra

I switched to damage control mode to try and not make mistakes on the single track in Timber Ridge with everyone watching.  I caught a glimpse of her up the final climb before the spectators nearly engulfed me but I realized she wasn’t coming back.  As I wove through the final curves while trying not to tie up, I crashed on one of the loose gravel corners (falling in the stadium in front of everyone is everyone’s fear) but thankfully it was only flesh wounds and I had enough of a gap that I didn’t lose a spot. I willed my body back on my bike and claimed my first podium in my third Iceman race.

Soon after Amy and Catherine finished and Catherine gave me kudos for a “perfectly timed attack.” Hearing that compliment from a previous World Champion totally made my day.  Chloe was also extremely complimentary. The next hour was a bit of a blur of interviews and hugs and I basically felt like a rock star.

chloe iceman

Alex finished 11th in a ridiculously fast men’s race, cementing our dominance in the “fastest couple” competition (this should be a real thing).

Overall it was one of the coolest experiences and I’m still totally floored by all the support. Traverse City truly has an incredible cycling community, puts on a world class race, and has a lot of fun doing it.  Thanks to Team OAM NOW/ Athletic Mentors, Alex Vanias my moral and mechanical support, my family, and Steve Brown- Mr. Iceman himself!

 

Photo credit: Corky Abston

Photo credit: Corky Abston

The post How it All Went Down- An Iceman Cometh Race Recap appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.


The Not So Serious Blog

November 2nd, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Collin Snyder, Team OAM NOW Cyclist

This weekend, the most prestigious race in Michigan went down. You may be asking yourself, what could be bigger than the upcoming Iceman Cometh? Well the answer is, the 12th annual Poto Single Speed World Championships or PSSWC2016 for short. This race (it’s officially not a race –Ed.) is only open to the most dedicated of racers (people who have a Facebook account or heard about it some other way, and happen to have a single speed mountain bike –Ed). The event is held each year on the last Saturday of October at the Potawatomi trail in Pickney Michigan and draws thousands (closer to 75-100 riders –Ed.).

PSSWC16

In the past two years participating in this race (it’s not officially a race –Ed.) I’ve earned the title of “Poto Single Speed World Champion!” twice. Based upon my past performances, Giant created a special edition rainbow world championship XTC+ complete with a ROY-G-BiV color scheme for this year’s ride arriving just days before the big day (no they didn’t, he just happen to have a bunch of miss matching parts in his stock pile that happen to complete the hideous ROY-G-BiV rainbow color scheme -Ed ) (Okay you’re right –Collin).

roygbiv bike

On the line, there were a few grand contenders, Todd Ace, Stephen Cain, and a few dark horses thrown in. The race started in a hurry. I did my best CX style start and was screaming down the opening dirt road at 150 rpm. Right before the trail head, Cain jumped around me to get first tracks. The pace was heavy, and an elite group quickly formed with myself, Todd Ace, and Jon Robul in tow. A few miles into the trail, I was feeling feisty, and made a pass around Stephen for the lead. I put a good dig in and a small gap quickly followed.

Although early, I thought this might be it as the gap increased. That’s when tragedy struck. My seat post slipped! My mechanic is fired. (Collin is his own mechanic. He didn’t use a torque wrench –Ed).  With my seat about 3 inches lower than the ideal position, I couldn’t keep a high cadence in the saddle and had to stand up pretty much the whole time. The gap quickly shrank, and Todd Ace made it back on my wheel and put a flyer in shortly thereafter. He kept me honest up the hills, putting in a bit more effort than I would have done solo. After a hand full of miles of not shaking me, he allowed me to lead at the first road crossing. I kept the pace up, flying down the sketchy stair step descents. Ace being a great descender wasn’t fazed. On the following uphill, I took a line right over a big root which required me to do a bunny hop over it. Ace didn’t and smacked his front wheel hard. The next thing I hear is disappointment in his voice as he had cracked his China-made carbon wheel and slashed his tire.

My hopes of a solo victory returned. I put it in tempo mode and was thinking of a 2015 Peter Sagan World Championship style win. However, with very little sitting, those dreams fizzled as my legs snyder SS battlefaded.  Up a steep sandy climb, I peer back to see Stephen closing in hot. When he eventually caught me, he didn’t even take the time to rest on my wheel and went right around. With less than a third of the race (it’s not a race, it’s a spirted ride –Ed.)  to go, it looked like if I had any chance of pulling off the three-peat, I had to hold Cane’s wheel. He was running a bit easier gear than me and he knew it, so he put hard digs up every climb, putting the screws on me. In the closing mile of the trail, his home court advantage was showing. He was taking lines that were completely foreign to me, and was getting an ever slight advantage at every rock garden. When we get to the final quarter mile stretch of dirt road before the last bit of single track, Stephen had a good 4 bike length gap on me. I dug deep, seeing a heart rate I haven’t seen in some time and closed the gap right before the final 100 feet of single track.

That’s when I made my winning move. I know what you’re thinking, hard attack right? Nope. The PSSWC uses a crude form of timing. When you enter, you get a small wooden paint sample card with your name on it. When you finish, you put your paint chip through a small metal pole at the finish table. The placing of your chip determines your final placement. Bottom is first, and so on. For the past 2 years, the overall chip drop turns out to be the deceive move. Fumbling for your chip is not an option and will cost you dearly. This year was no different. My winning move was made well before the parking lot. On that final stretch of dirt road, I pulled the chip out of my back pocket and placed it in mouth for easy access.  As we raced (rode aggressively –Ed.) through the parking lot, Stephen opens up his sprint and got to the general start area a half second before I did. However, with my paint chip ready and the fact I scoped out the finish area before the start, I rode right to the timing can and placed my chip on first. Although not the story book finished I hoped for, I had made it a three-peat World Championship title.

Stephen was a bit bummed with the overall outcome but eventually came around after I offered him some of my large fortune of prize money (a six pack of Pale Joe from Founder’s Brewery). Always big thanks to The Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association who puts this great event on. Finally, huge thanks to Giant for making a proper single speed bike! The new XTC+ is a blast to ride.

Now it’s time to focus on some less serious stuff, like that silly race up in Traverse City.

Editors Note: Collin Snyder takes single speeding way too seriously. While most people figured out how to use a shifter, Collin never really did. He also tends to be the king of riding ugly bikes and can turn the coolest looking bike into a monstrosity with odd color parts lying around.

 

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Eyes in the Back of Your Head  

November 1st, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By Aric Dershem, Team OAM NOW Cyclist

As road cyclists, we love the feeling of the wind in our face (and even better, the wind at our back). We love the way the road rolls below us as our feet push and pull the pedals. We love seeing the countryside pan by us as we cover mile after mile under our own power. We love the sound of a quiet drive train propelling us forward. We love all these things about road biking and so many more. We find it difficult to imagine why anyone would not love road cycling and hard to explain why we love it so much.

Unfortunately, we have all heard stories about close calls or experienced firsthand confrontations between motorists and cyclists. This year seems worse than ever with far too many of these confrontations ending tragically.

We love to be on the road, but we must also recognize that a real element of risk exists every time we roll down our driveway and into the street. There are some things that research is telling us that we can do to dramatically improve our safety on the road. A recent study sponsored by a major bicycle manufacturer found that there are three primary actions we can take as cyclists to protect ourselves. They use the mnemonic, A+B+C to help us remember these.

A)    Always on lighting – 80% of bike accidents happen during daylight. Having lights on even during daylight hours attracts the attention of motorists and helps us stand out.

B)    Biomotion – When we highlight the motion of our bodies using reflectors, this makes us more recognizable as humans to drivers who might be otherwise distracted.

C)    Contrast – High visibility and reflective gear helps us stand out day or night.

Even before this recent study came out, I made the commitment to run lights every time I take the road. I am one of those cyclists who usually rides alone and most often early in the morning (before sunrise). For me, riding with lights is essential both for me to see and be seen. One morning as I waited at an intersections at 6 am, a woman pulled up next to me and rolled down her window. I was naturally expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised by the interaction. She leaned over to the passenger side window and said, “I could see your lights a half-mile up the road. Thank you for being so visible.” Interactions like this only confirm the value of being visible to motorists. Now, I never hit the road, day or night, without lights.aric lights

I personally recommend the Bontrager Ion 800R headlight and Flare R rear light. Both are small, compact, come with a versatile (and interchangeable mount) and are rechargeable using a standard microUSB cable (included). These lights can be purchased at great trek dealers like Speedmerchants Bike Shop. While you can often find less expensive light, the 800 lumen front light provides a strong enough beam to ride at night while the Flare R is bright enough to be highly visible even in full daylight. The only problem with the Flare R is that on its high setting, some people may not want to ride behind you because it’s so bright.

marie lights

In addition to making ourselves visible, there are other relatively new technologies that we can use us safe. RoadID, maker of the prolific ID bracelets, offers a free app for your mobile phone that will text a link to anyone you designate when you leave for a ride. The link takes the recipient to a map showing where you are on your ride and will automatically notify them if you stop moving for more then 5-minutes without turning the app off. My wife and I use this constantly to make sure that we can be notified if something happens to either of us while out on the road.

Perhaps my favorite piece of safety technology is my Garmin Varia rearview. I received this as a gift ast year for Christmas and had no idea how valuable this would be. The Varia is a rear light with multiple flashing modes. While it is not as bright as the Flare R, it is still part of my everyday setup because the Varia rearview essentially give me eyes in the back of my head. That’s right, the Varia is rear-facing radar that alerts my Garmin head unit when a vehicle (or vehicles) are approaching me from behind. This allows me to keep my focus on the road ahead of me while still being aware of what is coming from behind me. I have found this to be especially useful when I’m riding on busy roads with high traffic speeds or roads with especially narrow shoulders. Having used this technology for the past year, I have to say that on those rare occasions when I don’t ride with my Varia, I miss it. The ability to know when traffic is approaching allows me to ride defensively without constantly looking behind me to see if anything is coming. It makes my rides both safer and more enjoyable.

garmin lights

At the end of the day, 99.9% of us ride for the fun it offers us and the challenge it presents to us. Like any activity, it comes with some inherent risks, but we can take some deliberate steps to reduce that risk. Over the past year, I have become increasingly aware of my role in staying safe on the road and I’m grateful for technology that allows me to be more visible to the drivers I’m sharing the road with and have eyes in the back of my head. Let’s all do our part to make the road safe for everyone so we can all enjoy the benefits of the road together.

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The Epitome of a Multi-Sport Athlete

October 30th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

By : Joe Meyers, Team OAM NOW Multi-Sport Athlete

Team OAM NOW has helped me this year with not only supporting me in running but leading me into success in cycling. I am on the multi-sport team and I started off the year mainly running and playing tennis tournaments most weekends.  Now, I still run and I still play the tournaments but I have found great success in cycling also.

Joe Meyers took second in his age group at the Peak2Peak mountain bike festival this October

Joe Meyers took second in his age group at the Peak2Peak mountain bike festival this October

At the BTR Race for Wishes earlier this season I became the state champion for road cycling and following that I won the 15-16 age category junior point series. Also I have been competing in cycle-cross and mountain biking, last week placing second in the 12-18 beginner age category.  Besides earning two varsity letters in the fall season, I try to go to most of the cycling races with my dad, John Meyers as much as I can. Team OAM NOW has helped me stay focused with my sports career and has opened up new experiences and hopefully many more to come.

Joe’s impressive balancing efforts and talents are noticed by his teammates, coaches, school, and OAM NOW community. Joe was recently profiled in Knight Life News, the Loy Norrix High School community news source. 

 

 

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Are You Ready to Powermeter Up?

October 23rd, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson

–By JoAnn Cranson, Team OAM NOW cyclist

joann cropped

The first time another rider asked me, “What kind of watts were you pushing up that hill?” I had no idea what they were talking about. I knew speed, cadence, heart rate, distance… but watts? How would I know my watts? Then, I was introduced to an incredible tool for cycling – the power meter. If you haven’t used one yet, I will warn you… once you start, you become lost without it, like so many new technologies.

If you are like I was, you may have no idea what a powermeter is. I’ll try to explain in layman terms. Power meters measure torque and velocity to calculate power in watts. In other words, the force you use to push your foot against the pedal and how fast you can turn the crank equals the power (wattage) you create.

Power meters come in many different styles and options. You can spend between $500 to almost $4000, depending on what your goals are and what you are willing to invest. They can be installed in the crank set, rear hub, bottom bracket, chair ring and now pedals too. Because they are wireless, they instantly display the wattage on your cycling computer, providing instantaneous feedback throughout your ride. Naturally it takes some time to determine what works best for you and to make sure everything involved is compatible.

Now that you know what a powermeter is, you may ask “What good does a powermeter do”? Is it just another fancy gadget you have to figure out how to work?

In my opinion, it’s more valuable to me than my speedometer or heart-rate! I remember I use to not want to go ride when it was really windy or a hilly ride because I got discouraged with my average mph. Well, with the powermeter it doesn’t matter how windy it is, my power is going to show me how hard I’m working whether I’m going 16.7 mph or 24.4 mph.

I took a couple pictures of my cycling computer on a windy day to show the differences. Notice it shows my power vs mph (depending on if I had a head-wind or tail-wind).

 

powermeter 1

Power is 274 watts only going 16.7 mph with a head-wind

powermeter2

Power is only 221 watts– but flying at 24.4 mph with a tail-wind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The power meter is an incredibly valuable tool for so many reasons. It measures your workload accurately and instantaneously whereas heart rates respond more slowly and are more effected by outside influences such as temperature and hydration. Post-ride data analysis allows you to review power over time so you can see strengths and weaknesses. For example, you can see from the data that you are stronger when you ride at a lower cadence, or that you climb best when you stay seated at a high cadence.

Not only can you determine your strengths and weaknesses, but you are able to individually tailor your training using power. Whether you are doing road racing, time trials, or want to stay with the faster group rides, a power meter will help you get the most out of your training every day. For example, if you want to be consistent in long rides, you can practice intervals above/under your threshold values so you can teach your body to handle it. You can learn through training what wattage you can handle before “blowing up” over a specific time period. And my favorite part is that you can clearly see as you train how your wattage continues to climb as you get stronger!!

One final and very important benefit of training with power is the ability to see clearly when you are overtraining. If you have been riding a consistent wattage and all of a sudden your heartrate is elevated but you can’t hold the watts… it’s a clear indicator that you are over-training and you need rest. This was always the hardest thing for me to see in myself before I had a power meter.

As a rider who went from “what is a power meter” to “I can’t ride without a power meter.” – I can tell you that a power meter is a great tool to improve your individual cycling no matter what type of rider you are.

 

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