Drafting: Is Wind Your Friend or Foe?

September 28th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Nathan Frazier, Team OAM Now Cyclist

As cyclists, we have the opportunity to control a lot of factors in a race. We can control the bike, what the kit, the gear, and the pace. However, one thing we cannot change is wind, and wind is a huge factor in a race. A headwind can slow down an attacker, a side wind can cause a wreck, and a backwind can make the group pace skyrocket. So is wind an enemy, or an ally?

Dan and MaxBefore talking about how wind affects a race, one must know what drafting is. Drafting is a process in which you position yourself out of direct wind gusts by means of other racers. Being out of the wind makes a huge difference, and it’s the reason why no one likes to lead or be in the rear of a pack. Positioning matters on wind direction as well. For example, one would stay behind another racer during a head wind, or on the opposite side of a racer with a side wind. Cycling gear is also designed to assist against wind, with light, specifically shaped frames to strange aero helmets for time trials.

Drafting isn’t just important in cycling, however. Even race car drivers depend on drafting to overtake other drivers, sometimes by a slipstream created from the high speeds of the cars producing a ‘stream’ of broken wind behind them. Speed skaters use this too, even though they are in an inclosed space. Drafting behind a skater can mean the difference of a second or first place finish in a sprint, and the same goes with a cycling finish. Those last hundred meters are often the most chaotic!

High Speed PacelineWind is a powerful factor in racing, and I learned this the hard way. Racing earlier this year, I found it difficult to stay with even the most moderate of paces. I was confused and discouraged, as I couldn’t find any reason to fall behind so much. I was training well, going to races for experience, and I didn’t lead at all during a race. So why was I getting dropped? My coach and father helped me reach the conclusion that, on an especially windy day when a huge gust took the life out of me, the wind was my foe. I had to learn to make it my ally. I practiced positioning with other cyclists during large group rides, making sure I was out of the wind’s direct influence. I found that I could hang on to groups more easily, and that I wasn’t as tired when a sprint ended.

Wind is now my ally in this situation. On your next group ride, pay attention to the wind, and your position in the pack to make wind your ally as well.

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Patterson Places 2nd Against at Chequamegon in a Test Against the Best

September 25th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors
By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM Now  Multi-Sport Athlete cheq rolloutMy second season of mountain bike racing has been a progression of increasing challenges and quite a few surprise wins. After buying my Giant Lust 2 last April, I have been able to climb the ranks of Michigan mountain biking with the help of Alex Vanias’s experience and my fitness from running and triathlon. After a surprise win at Ore to Shore, I decided to make the trip to the Chequemegon Fat Tire Festival in Hayward, Wisconsin for another test against an elite field. Starting in Hayward and ending at Telemark resort in Cable, the Chequemegon 40 is the largest mass start, point to point mountain bike race in the country. The town of Hayward is famous for also hosting the Birkie cross country ski race which I raced this past February. Much of the Cheq 40 is on the wide Birkie trail as well as gravel roads and features a lot of climbing late in the race. With no real technical challenges, Cheq 40 is considered a power race which is consistent with my strengths. The weather on race morning was perfect and the atmosphere was electric as 2,100 racers convened in downtown Hayward. I was granted a starting spot in the elite start gate and attempted to not be intimidated by the impressive cycling talent surrounding me or the thousands of racers behind me. I navigated the nervous rollout without incident, but I was a bit farther back in the field than I wanted when we hit the dirt at mile three. The course was more wet and muddy than I anticipated, but I was feeling good and moving up with every climb. I caught several of the female riders I knew would be contenders and by the famous OO road crossing at mile 16, I was neck and neck with five time champion Jenna Rhinehart. I was able to get some feedback from spectators and learned I was in second place about two minutes down on pro rider Chloe Woodruff. I was riding in a large group of guys, but nobody would help pull the group on the open gravel roads. This was extremely frustrating since I knew Chloe was up the road and nobody would work together. I was happy to arrive at the famous “Fire Tower climb” 11 miles from the finish, and I dropped my group up the rocky steep climb. At that point, I didn’t think I had a chance at catching Chloe, but I wanted to secure my runner-up finish so continued to push every climb solo. cheq podiumIt was an amazing feeling to descend the last hill into Telemark resort and hear the announcement that I was the second female finisher. I was directed to the podium area immediately following the finish where I had a chance to meet and chat with Chloe Woodruff and Jenna Rhinehart, two of my cycling idols. They were both very down to earth and both impressive athletes and people. The experience was surreal and I was thankful I had mechanical-free race and was able to rise to yet another challenge. The remainder of my fall racing calendar is much closer to home with the northern Michigan staples of Gravel Grinder and Peak to Peak, but the major focus is my goal of a podium finish at Iceman in November. This season has been an amazing ride so far and I’m excited for the weeks to come! The post Patterson Places 2nd Against at Chequamegon in a Test Against the Best appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Athletic Mentors Coaching Gets Team OAM NOW Runner on the Podium and the Path to the Western States Endurance Run

September 19th, 2015 by Erin Young

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What would you do to get into the famous Western States Endurance Run? The world’s oldest and most prestigious 100-mile trail race that only lets 369 hearty soles purchase a bib to run up 18,000  and descend 23,000 feet of Sierra Nevada mountains? For some of us long distance trail runners, we are happy to run 100 miles just to prove that we can handle such an event. To even be able to enter into the lottery of the WSER, you have to complete an approved 100 mile race within the event’s time limit. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t dream of doing the WSER. It scared me enough to not enter for several years. But the more it scared me, the more I was intrigued by it.

After having my first baby 7 months ago, I thought it was ridiculous to think I could even attempt to run a qualifying event so that I could get my ticket into the lottery. As I continued to struggle through runs and worry about the extra weight I now carried, I still thought… maybe I can. I kept at it and was feeling pretty good about my running and soon I was thinking, I can finish, but it won’t be pretty.

 

The coaches of Athletic Mentors, Cheryl Sherwood , Cricket Howard and Mark Olson, together helped me get my head on straight. With just a few conversations, I not only knew I could do it, but I believed I could do it, and do it well.  I had to believe that I could do it and WANT to do it. I had to keep believing that I AM going to do it. Using my daily run data, Mark walked me through a plan each week. As we got closer to the event, we spoke each day. I’ve never felt so relaxed in those last few days before an event. I had complete trust in my training and the coaches of Athletic Mentors.

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Cheryl joins me at mile 85 for the final loop. If it weren’t for her company, I may have taken a trail nap.

 

The Woodstock Hallucination 100 was going to be my ticket in. The event was 6 loops through the very runnable Pinckney Recreation Area. I had a dream team of supporters… seriously. My mom, Tammy and Joe, stayed up all night to greet me each loop. Joe was in charge since he knew exactly how to keep me and my head in the race. After two loops, pacers were allowed. Liz kept me positive with light hearted girl talk. Joe got me through the coldest, wettest and darkest hours of that night. Scott, my future Trans Rockies Run partner,  and I chatted into daylight (I think he is going to be an awesome partner next summer!). Cheryl, Team Manager of Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors ran with me my final loop. Each one of my pacers contributed to a fun and successful 100 miles. And yes, I said fun. I never once thought that I wouldn’t make it during the run. It was an absolute high to see my crew on every loop and I was so excited to see them. There were times I felt lousy, but I knew I’d feel good soon. Mark had given me simple, but very wise advice, “You’ll feel great and want take off, stay patient. You’ll feel bad at times, but you’ll get over it.” This was the first time I’ve ever followed coaching advice explicitly through a training plan, and I followed his advice to the end of the event.

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Earned my ticket! Now I just need to be lucky on December 5th!

 

 

I wish I could write about a more eventful 100 miles. But truthfully, it wasn’t eventful at all. The race went perfectly. My body and mind cooperated. No stomach troubles, no blisters, just a little sleepy at times. This was a perfect race. I never thought I could get under 24 hours in my first try at 100 miles. I did because I was patient. Just that steady pace Mark told me to stick with got me in at 21:08. It was an extra special finish to be 2nd Overall Female, and 9th in the overall race. That made me feel fantastic! So, my advice if you ever want to do well in an event that you worry you can’t do… keep those positive people close and let them help you, BELIEVE that you can do it, and get Mark Olson as a coach!

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Fall Brings Cyclocross and Gravel Road Race Season!

September 18th, 2015 by Marie Dershem
alma cool picAlma Grand Prix is the first (and one of the most fun) cyclocross race in the fall. Even this early in the season, fall was in the air with temps struggling to reach 60 degrees. The course was designed to take advantage of the woods and features already present on the property. With a combination of flat sections mowed through the meadows and twisty sections using thrails through thickets of woods, the largely flat course was punctuated with several small berms and three sets of stairs that required the requisite dismounts from the bike. This year, the course also included two “super prestige” sections that would have looked at home on a mountain bike trail, the last and thickest of which was just over 100 meters from the finish. Needles to say, this course was a lung-busting, fast-paced, well-planned course. If you are interested, you can even view a trip around the course here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8dkIDM65rg). alma posiumTeam OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors had many riders in several of the categories, each pushing the limits and having fun as they raced around this fantastic course. Chris Abston raced his first cx race in the Cat 3/4 45+ category. Chris made a wise decision in starting off slow, getting his cyclorcross legs under him. This paid off as he built speed throughout the race to finish in 2nd place! Tristan Greathouse warmed up for theDan at alma Elite Men’s race with a win in the junior category, then took on the hardest race of the day with the Collin Snyder and Daniel Yankus from TEAM OAM NOW’s Elite Mens Team. These three took on one the strongest fields in Michigan CX racing history. Three Aussie professional cyclists entered the race and from the start showed off their talents with 2 of them riding away. Daniel got off to a solid start and positioned 8th through the first laps, with Tristan and Collin closely behind. As the race went on, Daniel was able to latch on the back of a chase group and worked his way up to 6th place, where he finished. alma another exhaustedTristan followed shortly behind with an incredible ride for 8th beating one of the Aussie pros! Collin ended very respectably at 14th in an incredibly strong and deep field. Collin received his redemption, though, as later in the day he flew through the Single Speed race to win the race. On the women’s side, Laura Melendez did an excellent job representing TEAM OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors in the Elite 1/2/3 race in Alma, MI. Racing against some of the top women, including Mackenzie Woodring, Paralympic Champion, and an elite cyclocross rider from Australia, Josie Simpson. The first race of the season is often a challenge as cyclocross is so completely different from road racing. But, Laura, who has fallen in love with this discipline, was thrilled to be back at it and finished strong in 7th place. The following day, Uncle John’s Dirty Ride, a great gravel road race, called many of the same racers back to the dirt. Chris Abston, Collin Snyder, and Daniel Yankus did their best to shake things up early and often as the course was some kind of FLAT!  Each TEAM OAM NOW/Athletic Mentor teammate took their turn, with 2 solo efforts from Chris and a 2 man move from Collin. On the turn home with the tailwind, Daniel attacked up to Chris’s solo move and a group of 8 chased to form a breakaway. The break was too big to succeed and another push from Daniel pulled out 2 racers. The 3 they rode well together and established a few minute gap. On the headwind home, these 3 did their best impressions of tracks stands in loose gravel. A few attacks later, Daniel was able to get away in the final mile to take the win. Chris took 4th out of a small chase group and Collin took the field sprint up the Uncle John’s Cider Mill hill for 7th. What an impressive finish for all three! The post Fall Brings Cyclocross and Gravel Road Race Season! appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

DeBaets DeVos Marks the End of the Criterium Season

September 15th, 2015 by Marie Dershem

The 51st running of the DeBaets-DeVos Labor Day Criterium marks the end of the criterium season in Michigan. It’s hilly and curvy course offers unique challenges for riders. This year, the temps rose into the 90’s with a hot wind that hit right as racers climbed the hill, making the top of the hill a perfect spot for racers to test their legs and lungs in attacking the field. TEAM OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors’s first racer was also our youngest, tackling the 9-14 year old Junior field and ended with our CAT 1/2 racers hitting the pavement in heat of mid-afternoon.

At the start of his race, Christian sized up his competition… CJ crit startknowing he wasn’t likely to win (he’s the little guy in the middle), he still did everything he could to stay with the lead group; and then to hang on the wheel of another rider who was dropped along with him. CJ CritHe ended up riding the last 2 laps on his own, still pushing it as hard as he could. He finished in 4th place… and loved every minute of it.

Next up was the 45+ race, where Chris Abston, Terry Ritter, Jon Morgan and Mike Wyczalek took on the competition. Thanks to recent repair of the roughest, uphill section, where formerly broken pavement and cracks galor has been replaced with brand new concrete, and a tailwind on the long straight away through the start finish area, speeds exceeded 35 mph for the first part of the 45+ Masters race. MENS 45+
With these conditions, the first several laps were filled with attacks. Riders Chris Abston and Terry Ritter covered initial break attempts, while Jon Morgan and Mike Wyczalek waited in earnest for premes and the final sprint. Unfortunately, none of the initial breaks stuck and the in the end, our team’s best finish was Chris Abston placing 12th.

In the Masters 35+ race, 45 riders toed the line for the 45 minute event. The winds had picked up a bit and it was a tad hotter than earlier in the day. Terry and Mike navigated the field, patient as other teams chased breaking riders. Terry eventually bridged up to two promising breaks that were pulled back into the group. The heat took its toll on both Mike and Terry. In the end, they played it safe in the field sprint.

The Men’s CAT PRO 1/2 race was placed in the hottest, windiest part of the day. Cory Stange critThis 90 minute race was exciting and exhausting. Team OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors teammates Collin, Dan, Cory and Pete put in many attacks and had riders in most of the moves. With a thin field, the leash was short. After a big split in the field, the lead group of 3 got away. The team missed that attack, but eventually got Pete up the road in a 2 man break with Collin in a chase group. Unfortunately, in the closing minutes, the chase group caught Pete and Collin. This left Cory and Dan, who still had some legs, to fight for a good finish. Pete, in spite of his exhausting break, was able to place 7th. Cory took on the field sprint, placing 10th, thanks to some late attacks by Dan to soften the legs of the competition. The team worked well together and had a great race.

The Women’s CAT 1/2/3 race was held just after noon. With three racers, Laura, Marie and Jenny, the team lined up with a plan. And, the plan was enacted from start to finish. There were many attacks throughout the race. Marie was able to chase them down so that no one got away. Laura took the heat at the front of the pack leading up to a prime to help put her teammates in position to sprint, tiring out the field in the process. Jenny PodiumWith the field in tact heading toward the final sprint, Marie took the lead after the last corner of the final lap to lead out teammate, Jenny. While Jenny wasn’t able to get on Marie’s wheel, she was on the wheel behind Marie and the three racers barreled toward the finish line. Jenny hammered out a great sprint, barely missing first place at the line (thanks to a dropped chain at the very last second). Marie placed 4th. The team worked incredibly well together, which is what TEAM OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors is all about.

 

And, thus ends the Criterium season here in Michigan. The team had a great year filled with exciting races and great teamwork. Great job, everyone!

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After Success Comes Setback, After Setback Comes Resilience and Strength

August 29th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete

IMG_0827Triathlon is a sport dominated by “Type A” individuals. As a whole, we are very precise people. We can spout off our 500 time for yards and meters; we can give you not only our 5K and 10K PRs, but those of our friends and competitors, VO2 max on the bike, and max heartrates for our individual sports without stopping to think. We are extremely particular about our item placement in transition. We have our ritualistic pre-race dinners and breakfasts. We like to have plans and be prepared,  but ultimately, external factors greatly affect the outcome of a race. It can be 40 degrees and raining at a triathlon in June, then 95 degrees and humid at one in July. There are circumstances you just can’t prepare for. In every race, something will not go according to plan. Triathlon is a sport that requires adaptation to succeed.

I was toeing the start line at the Detroit Tri U25 EDR one week after a successful weekend at USAT Nationals. It was to be my first draft legal race, and I was excited to compete in such a strong field of women. The top three finishers would receive pro cards that day.  I fully anticipated finishing towards the back of the pack, but all I really wanted was to race hard and well enough to avoid being lapped out. In draft legal races, the bike leg takes place on a multi-loop course and if you are passed by the race leaders, you are to dismount your bike and make your way back to transition. You are not allowed to finish the race.

IMG_0826The swim was non-wetsuit, but I was not the last person out of the water, despite being pretty far off the back of the pack. On the bike, I quickly caught one woman, but she was unable to hold my wheel, so I lost hope of being able to work with her. I worked as hard as I could on the bike, and knew that I was not in danger of being lapped. When I went to dismount my bike, however, I realized I was incredibly dizzy. I nearly tripped as I dismounted, but caught myself with my bike. I headed out on the run course, but disaster struck immediately. My breathing was completely out of control and my vision was foggy. My chest was tight and I knew I was hyperventilating. I have hyperventilated in races before and knew that if I could slow down and get some deep breaths, I would probably be okay. This time though, my dizziness and the darkness rushing in from the edges of my field of vision caused me to stop completely.

I remember sitting down on the side of the course (and, like a true data addict, somehow I stopped my watch as well).  Then a volunteer was screaming and the next thing I knew I was on my back with a bunch of people standing over me shoving ice in my tri suit.  I started gagging and they rolled me on my side. I couldn’t open my eyes and my breathing was still out of control. As soon as I could talk, I started begging to finish my race. The medics would have none of it, though. I hadn’t been lapped out. My body just gave out.

I had never had a DNF in a triathlon before that day. A DNF was not part of my plan. Although I frequently doubt the quality of my performance, I never doubt that I will finish a race. Sometimes, though, it isn’t up to you.  So, what do you do in a situation like that?  Well, I for one will try again. Sure, my confidence is shaken. No one likes their race to be out of their control,  but I plan to race again this weekend. And the thought of a DNF will not cross my mind.

I will not doubt my ability to finish.  I cannot allow myself to do so. Triathletes are not just Type A people. They are strong. They are resilient. They can endure. And they never give up.

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From Off-road to Olympic Triathlon- Kippen Places 2nd in Age Group at Traverse City Tri

August 27th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors
By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete tc tri_bike courseNorthern Michigan has some of the most beautiful triathlon race venues in the state, with crystal clear waters and rolling, tree-lined roads. After experiencing the beauty of Harbor Springs last year at the Little Traverse Triathlon, I was determined to race another event “up north”.  I had the opportunity to compete in my first Olympic Distance road triathlon at the Traverse City Triathlon. The race begins with a 1500 meter swim in Bowers Harbor, on the crisp, clean waters of the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. It continues with a challenging 40 km bike course covering both the east and west coasts of the Old Mission Peninsula. Finally, the race finishes with a 10 km run that combines pavement, a dirt road, a little bit of trail, and a grassy field. My primary focus is off-road triathlon, which involves a swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run, but the duration of my races range from under 2 hours up to 5 hours, depending on the course.  The fact that I had never done an Olympic distance road triathlon did not worry me too much; however, I did have to make some estimates to anticipate how much fuel I would need to carry and consume during the race. I estimated best case 2 hours 40 minutes and worst case 2 hours 45 minutes, with the big unknown being the bike. I had ridden my road bike a whopping ONE time this year, but I generally get one or two 90 minute mountain bike rides in per week, so I felt I was prepared for the 25-mile, hilly course. My run training was not really robust enough for a strong 10K, but I knew I could at least cover the distance. trtri_cabin-3I was able to get a restful night’s sleep at Timber Ridge Resort before the race.  I had originally booked a campsite and planned on tenting it, but with temps near 90, I asked at the check in desk if there were any cabins available and luckily there was a cancellation, so I got to sleep peacefully in an air-conditioned cabin. There are nearly 400 camping sites at the resort and my cabin number ended up being the same as my race bib: #329. I took it as a sign of good things to come. Race morning was warm with a fairly strong wind from the south, which created a challenging swim with pretty big rollers. The rough swim, coupled with a course that was about 100 meters on the long side, put me several minutes over where I anticipated my swim time. Then, the bike course included a couple of 10%+ grade climbs which left me climbing out of the saddle in granny gear! The winds from the south provided a steady headwind down the east side of the peninsula, and a slight tailwind on the return up the west side. Despite the conditions, I finished the bike almost exactly where I had estimated. I haven’t been doing much brick training, so I was unsure how the transition to running was going to go.  The first 3 miles of the run were along the coast of the bay on nice flat pavement and were mostly shaded. An aid station was like an oasis on the run as the temps continued to climb. I welcomed the breeze. Miles 4 and 5 of the run turned to dirt roads and trails with no breeze. The final, brutal uphill mile was back on pavement with no shade and felt like a death march.  I really felt like I had tanked my run after starting out the first half with a good pace.   tctri_finishAt the end of the day, I finished my first Olympic distance triathlon in 2 hours 49 minutes. This placed me 7th overall for the women and 2nd in my age group and I couldn’t be more thrilled. My swim ranking was my normal top 25% of the women’s field. My bike ranking was 8th in the women’s field on a road bike vs many on time trial bikes. And, surprisingly, the run I thought I tanked was my best position, ranking 7th in the women’s field. I am also happy to have posted the fastest transition times among the women and 3rd fastest of both men and women. Check out my blog on transition for tips on improving yours.  This race got me wanting to do another triathlon before the season is up, so I may tackle the Reeds Lake Triathlon for the first time in 5 years.   The post From Off-road to Olympic Triathlon- Kippen Places 2nd in Age Group at Traverse City Tri appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Kathy Braginton Redefines Personal Best While Taking 1st Overall at Girl’s Best Friend Olympic Tri

August 26th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors
By Kathy Braginton, Team OAM Now Triathlete When most of us think of the term Personal Record (PR) , also known as Personal Best (PB), we think of recording our “Best Time” in a race. In search of a PR, I signed my sister and me up for Athletic Mentor’s Triathlete Custom Training Plan Clinic last March. We walked away with a complete training schedule for our goal race, Girl’s Best Friend.  We chose Girl’s Best Friend as our goal Olympic distance race because the swim is 1000 meters (shorter than a traditional Oly). We followed the training plan, as written to the best of our abilities, even if it meant hitting the pavement at 4 AM. On race day, we were ready! 11896010_10205919168637145_6679610249602432447_rI have raced Girl’s Best Friend every year since its existence and introduced my sister and many others to the world of multisport at this race. The sprint distance brings many first timers. I enjoy giving assistance in the transition and helping calm the pre-race nerves of others. Unfortunately, I have to be honest when they ask how bad the weeds are in the lake. The first 100 meters are very thick and several times I felt it was difficult to take a full stroke. However, the bike course at this race is one of my favorites…..flat and fast! I had a great race!  I was 5th after the swim, 1st after the bike, and was able to extend my lead throughout the run. As I crossed the finished line, capturing my first ever win in an Olympic distance race, I was thrilled.  I looked up at the race clock, knowing I had given it my all, and expected to see that PR I had in my mind for the last 6 months. It was hard to hide that initial wave of disappointment when I realized I did not have my “best time” from the previous year. Dive into the exciting world of adult dating and casual encounters with Fuckbook, your ultimate online destination for like-minded individuals seeking no-strings-attached connections. As a trusted and reputable platform, we are dedicated to providing you with a safe, discreet, and enjoyable experience. Experience the thrills of Fuckbook: ✓ Connect with Open-Minded Adults in Your Area ✓ Enjoy No-Strings-Attached Encounters ✓ Explore Your Desires & Fantasies ✓ Safe, Discreet & User-Friendly Platform Join our ever-growing community of adventurous individuals who have found the perfect outlet to express their desires and make genuine connections. Don't let your fantasies go unfulfilled – visit Fuckbook now and start your journey to exciting adult experiences today! To have a PR at a triathlon, you have to assume the race course will be exactly the same from year to year. The swim course will be set the same. The buoys will be securely placed and will not be moving targets. The bike and run courses will be the same distance. The head winds will be light and the roads will be dry. You will be able to navigate the bike course without worry of motorized vehicles. You won’t have to change a flat tire. I could go on and on. Photo Aug 15-2So, I took a step back to annualize what a PR really meant. The completion of Girl’s Best Friends marked my 48th triathlon and I realized I am setting a PR every time I cross that finish line! I finished 1st overall and my sister was 5th overall, a PR from our overall placement of 2nd and 9th a year ago, but that was where the obvious PRs ended. I had to analyze the data from my Garmin for each leg in search of more. Comparing the swims, I was 30 seconds faster than last year. However, my Garmin showed the swim distance was a little shorter than last year. So, we’ll say I swam the same….no PR. Initial review of the bike times showed I was 4 minutes slower than last year. The bike course is a 2 loop course for Oly distance with a stretch of out and back on each loop. Analyzing the results further, I found the bike course this year was 2 miles longer, but my average pace was actually faster than last year….PR!  The run course is a 2 loop course for Oly with a mix of trail and paved roads. On the first loop, I noticed there was an added stretch of road that we had not run in years past.  This resulted in the run being about ¼ mile longer than last year.  Again, I found my average pace was actually faster than last year….PR! But in the end, after all that data crunching, I decided that what really mattered was knowing I had given it my personal best and any time I can race with my sister, I have my “best time” in a race . The post Kathy Braginton Redefines Personal Best While Taking 1st Overall at Girl’s Best Friend Olympic Tri appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Sheikh and Reynolds Post PRs and Earn Place on Team USA at USAT Age Group Nationals

August 25th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors
By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete, IMG_1354One week prior to USAT Age Group Nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I found myself facing some complications. First of all, I was headed to the emergency room in the middle of the night with acute abdominal pain indicative of either a) the onset of gastroparesis, a condition that nearly killed me in 2011, or b) appendicitis, which would require surgery. In either case, I was well aware that my ability to race the next weekend was in jeopardy. However, the doctors were unable to find anything wrong, and as my symptoms resolved to random bouts of dizziness, nausea, and gastric cramping throughout the week, I decided to race. Secondly, my plans for carpooling and sharing a hotel had fallen through. I contacted teammate Brian Reynolds to see if I could possibly carpool with him, and he graciously agreed. Friday morning, then, we met bright and early, picked up Brian’s dad, and headed to Milwaukee. I had no idea how well I would be able to race, but I was certainly ready to give it my best shot! We arrived in Milwaukee with plenty of time to pick up our packets, check our bikes into transition, and go for a quick 2.5 mile run to loosen up after a long day in the car. Then we met up with a friend of mine from Michigan State Triathlon and her family to get our pre-race pasta dinner. The next morning, we needed to get to transition at 6:30 am, despite the fact that Brian’s wave was at 9:02 and mine was 10:12. We walked to the race venue, then I quickly lost contact with Brian. I found a couple of friends from the MSU triathlon team, and we laid around under a tree to relax until around 9:30. IMG_1340As usual in Milwaukee, the swim starts with a countdown, followed by the statement: “You are now in the hands of the starter” and a heartbeat sound effect blared over the speaker system. The heartbeat made my heart sink and a rock settle in my stomach every time it played, so when I was in the water with my hand on the pontoon, I was prepared for the sensation. The heartbeat seemed to play much longer for my wave than it had for previous waves, but eventually the starting horn blew and I let go of the pontoon and shoved my way into the melee of over 100 women, attempting to sprint towards the first buoy. The problem with having so many women line up in one row was that when I started to swim, I was actually crawling over other women. With each “stroke,” instead of slicing through the water, I was actually pushing off the shoulders and backs of the women around me. Soon though, I was actually swimming and tried to settle into a good pattern of breathing and sighting. After swimming under the famous bridge that forced everyone to funnel in together to pass, the swim wasn’t bad and soon I was sighting the beach. I came out of the water hot on the heels of a friend from MSU, and breathlessly gave some encouragement as I ran past her… and promptly slipped and fell on the wet grass turning into transition. I bit back a frustrated yelp and continued trying to get my arms free of the wetsuit. Still, my transition wasn’t overly clumsy and once I hit the bike course, I was ready to rock and roll.   I felt strong and remembered to keep my cadence high to spin easily up the first big hill. I was passing other women in my wave with ease, and conserving my legs going up hills allowed me to hammer down them and maintain my speed across the flats. I didn’t know what my average was, but later found out that I posted the fastest bike split in my age group! Before I knew it I was barreling down the final hill into transition. T2 was a bit more clumsy for me. The run, which used to be my strength, was not as pleasant as my bike had been. It was hot and humid and I immediately began to experience pain in my diaphragm and stomach. My first mile was on pace, but then I started to gain 10 seconds every mile. I ended up finishing with an average 15-20 seconds per mile slower than I had projected. Once I crossed the finish line, my tunnel vision became blurry and I staggered into a golf cart. I hunched over, gasping and heaving. A medic pulled me into the med tent where she had me rest until I could sit up without being overwhelmingly dizzy. IMG_1355Finally, I looked at my watch, which I had stopped when I crossed the finish line. Although I had no idea where I placed, I did know that I had a big PR. I left the med tent to find Brian, who was on his phone checking times. He too had gotten a PR and was tenth in his age group. I was fifth. After penalties were assessed, he was bumped up to ninth and I was bumped up to fourth. We both made Team USA for Cozumel, Mexico 2016! We didn’t stay up too late to celebrate as I was racing the sprint the next day. I placed fourth in my age group in the sprint, again making Team USA Cozumel. Age group nationals is an incredible experience. The entire host city is swarming with incredibly fit people passionate about triathlon, and no one teases you for wearing shorts and compression socks! It was fantastic to have to opportunity to share the experience with a Team OAM Now teammate, and although it’s only been a week since the race, I’m already excited for nationals next year in Omaha! The post Sheikh and Reynolds Post PRs and Earn Place on Team USA at USAT Age Group Nationals appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

Gaslight Criterium and Cherry Roubaix Fondo – the summer’s hottest races

August 20th, 2015 by Marie Dershem
This year’s Gaslight Criterium racers tackled fast paced races in the heat of the summer. Even with temps in the 90’s, every category of racer was met with high speeds, fast corners, and that killer slight uphill to the finish. It was a perfect day of racing and Team OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors hit the streets in full force. The first race of the morning was the Juniors 9-14 race. TEAM OAM NOW Junior racer, Christian Dershem, was eager right from the start. ChristianHitting it hard from start to finish, he sprinted to a 3rd place finish as one of the youngest riders in his race. His podium smile… priceless.CJ Podium In the Junior 16-18 year old race, Nate Fraizer placed 2nd and Carson Lowell finished 10th in the Cat. 4 race. What great representation from our junior riders! The Pro CAT 1/2 men raced right in the middle of the day when the sun was high and the humidity even higher. With 90 minutes on this 1 mile circuit, the biggest challenge in the race was the heat and humidity. Remaining well hydrated during the 90 minute event was key. pro 12_2The race started out quite fast with numerous attacks and groups trying to get away. Based on the conditions, the team’s strategy was to stay patient and wait a bit, hoping that the conditions would deter early breakaways. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t pay off. The winning break did get away quite early with no representation from Team OAMNOW and no sustained organized chase from the peloton. Midway through the race, several other groups also managed to detach themselves as the field split apart. TEAM OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors finally were able to get CoryDan Yankus away in one of the later breaks, while the remaining three teammates were planning on setting up Cory for the group sprint in the field. While the race did not go quite as we had hoped, everyone on the team was riding very strong. Unfortunately, sometimes that just doesn’t show up on the results. Some races, the team just has to look back on the race, talk and learn from each other, and look forward to the next race. Although everyone was a bit disappointed in the end, this group of guys all coming out with good spirits, which speaks to the quality of men we have racing for TEAM OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors. As teammate Peter Ehmann said, “It’s great being with such a great group. That positive attitude fuels a hunger for the next race.” The Pro CAT 1/2/3 women had a 50 minute race, also facing a hot and fast race. Marie and JennyWith a field of 20+ women, the team knew it was going to be a good race. Jenny, our newly minted CAT 3 racer, is an incredibly strong rider and even better sprinter. Knowing she was the team’s best chance at a podium spot, the plan was for a good lead-out for her. Marie spent much of the race covering attacks, with Jenny’s assistance as well. Even with many good attacks and a strong field, no breakaway stuck and after 50 minutes on the course, it came down to a sprint. Laura led the field out on the last lap. Unfortunately, she was swarmed by eager riders on the long back-stretch. Laura and Marie both got caught in the field, but Jenny managed to work her way toward the front of the pack as the peloton rounded the last corner. Without a lead out, Jenny still managed a very strong sprint, crossing the line with two other women. jenny sprint finishWith only a hair separating them, she landed a 4th place finish. Like the men, the women were able to walk away knowing that they rode strong, learned more about racing together, and can look forward to future races. In the Men’s 45+ Masters race, TEAM OAM NOW had Rich Landgraff, Jon Morgan, Chris Abstain, Mike Wyzaleck and Mark Olson all working together for this 30 minute race. Given the short amount of time, the team took an aggressive stance, attacking hard and often. Finally, Chris was able to make it into the winning break, placing 4th overall, Mark followed with a 7th place finish. Great race all! Some of these same men decided to race in the Men’s Masters 35+ race as well. Rich Landgraff and Terry Ritter took on this challenge and found themselves once again in a fast field with many attacks. With both Rich covering attacks, Terry was able to bridge up to a potential winning break. But, with only a few laps to go, the break was brought back into the peloton and the race came down to a sprint. Exhausted from the fast pace and attacks, Rich landed 8th and Terry 19th overall. The masters 55+ squad was represented by Glenn Dik and Loren Simons, a race that was combined with the 45+ masters field. Glenn rode strong, attempting to control the peloton as Chris Abston and Jon Morgan took turns going off the front. At the end, Glenn was right on the wheels of Fred Anderson and Mark Warner but, lacking sprint legs, he was not able to come around them. Both he and Loren finished in the midst of the combined field at 5th and 9th respectively. Far from the Gaslight Criterium, Mike Krywanski represented OAM NOW/Athletic Mentors at the inaugural Cherry Roubaix Gran Fondo held in Traverse City and featuring all the most challenging climbs in Leelanau County. In what proved to be an absolutely epic adventure, Mike finished 6th overall in the 80 mile event despite the 92 degree temperature and an untimely crash on the gravel section of Miller Hill Road which separated him from the lead pack Along the way, the course traversed the legendary climbs of Inspiration Point, Hlavka Road, Shomberg, Dufek and Herman Roads in addition to the aforementioned Miller Hill Road, a brutal 15% climb on loose sand and gravel. The race (and it was definitely a race) started on Front Street in downtown Traverse City with a neutral rollout to the top of Grandview Road at the 5 mile point. From there it was full gas with Einstein Racing Club at the front followed by the entire Haggerty squad and OAM NOW’S Mike Krywanski happily sitting in. The climb of Inspiration Point split the field roughly in half with a few riders catching back on the descent. The real damage was done on Miller Hill where those riders who knew the climb were able to pick the solid line up the gravel ascent. After that the field spread out with those riders who had punctured or crashed losing contact. It was a fantastic race and a fantastic finish party afterward. After the ride, awards were given and food and drinks were shared along with stories from this epic ride. Another fantastic weekend of racing as the summer nears it’s end. The post Gaslight Criterium and Cherry Roubaix Fondo – the summer’s hottest races appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.