Ontario Cup Track #3 - 2016

Another good day racing at the track in the mixed Senior Elite/Masters Category 2. 4th Points Race, 3rd Scratch Race and 1st Elimination, my first ever win on the track and first win in 25 years.

Disappointed how the points race unfolded as there were 5 of us on 5 points with one sprint remaining. I mistakenly did not follow two of them who finished ahead of me in the third sprint. They went on to take 1st and 3rd in the final sprint. Another who went with them although finished on the same points as I, finished ahead of me in the last sprint. Lesson learned.

The scratch race however I was very pleased with. Felt I was in control, active and attentive.

The elimination, well it was just textbook riding. Love this race!

Elimination Podium - Derek Koops 3rd, Charles Cormier 2nd and me 1st

Scratch Race Podim - me 3rd, Matthew Ford 2nd and Darren Hobson 1st

Ontario Cup Track #2 - 2016

Good day racing at the track in the mixed Senior Elite/Masters Category 2. 5th Points Race, 2nd Scratch Race, 4th Elimination and 10th Keirin (4th in the 7th to 12th heat).

During the Points or Scratch race

Scratch Race Final - 2nd

First Track Podium in 25 Years

With one of my long time supporters

Ontario Provincial Track Championships

Ripping it up in the 500m

Start of the Scratch Race

Scratch race final with me coming in 7th

The expression on my face says it all

Cool as a cucumber for the start of the Points Race

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Sitting comfortably for the Keirin semi final

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A few laps to go, feeling confident

Sitting comfortably in 3rd and confident to qualify

Safely qualified for the final

Keirin final start

More physical contact in this round. Staying out of it at the back. 

Derney is gone, time to go

The picture says it all

Track Ontario Cup #2

Coming off the positive result from the MCA Elimination race on Tuesday, I was set to take part in the second track instalment of the Ontario Cup. Unlike the first event which I took part in only the points race, this time I would compete in the points, scratch and elimination races over two days. With each having there own qualification heats, a lot of racing was to be had should I qualify for each event.

Having been rushed in previous races, I took a half day vacation and made my way to Milton with a good amount of time to spare to prepare and warm-up. For me it became apparent I needed a good hour to an hour and a half to be race ready otherwise my legs just would not respond to the pace and intensity. The results of the weekend confirmed that.

I qualified for each event although I admit; it was not all that easy to do. The elimination race qualification in particular was very fast and I found myself stuck on the back and on the verge of being eliminated every second lap. A mistake I was sure not to make in the final. The points final too was very fast and blew apart with guys taking multiple laps. I was left with no laps taken nor points but took solace in the fact I gave a good sprint to take 2nd with 10 laps to go only to find out after the race, my placing would not be awarded as I was considered a dropped rider. The elimination final was a good event, finishing 7th yet I admit, I was hoping for a better result given my performance on Tuesday night. The scratch final however was my break-out result finishing 5th and being in the mix on the final sprint. It was an exhilarating final and definitely boosted my confidence with the Ontario Provincial Championships coming up in two weeks time. Check out the video of the final with me the all black kit and finishing 4th in the final sprint. The winner was just 50 meters in front of us.



Results

Points Race Qualifier | Points Race Final
Elimination Race Qualifier | Elimination Race Final
Scratch Race | Scratch Race Final

Inaugural Milton Cycling Academy Race Night

Last night I took part in the inaugural Milton Cycling Academy race at the Milton National Cycling Centre. Fourteen of us lined up in the A group which consisted of senior elite and master racers. I knew prior to the event I was in for a night of hurt but figured no better preparation for this weekend Track Ontario Cup than racing with the fastest.

The evening began with a 60 lap scratch race, first one across the line wins. Well it did not pan out as I had hoped. You come to the conclusion after 10 laps when your legs and lungs are burning that perhaps a 15 minute warm up on the rollers and 10 minutes on the track didn't cut it. I had no illusion of animating the race yet I did expect to finish it. I was dejected and the rest of the night did not look any more promising.

Up next was the kilo sprint, 4 laps of the 250 meter track following a neutral paced lap on the Cote d'Azur. Four to five of us were placed into heats with the first two qualifying for the final. Pretty simplistic event yet can be tactical. In my heat, it was a straight up sprint with us finishing in the same order drawn as we started. Unfortunately I drew last place. 5 more of these efforts and my legs may have begun to open up and feel better!

Following the kilo was the team chase. A single race with us drawn into equal teams of seven. The race is won when 50% of the team catches the other team or the team with 50% intact riders is ahead after 24 laps. Each of us were required to take one pull at the front in the same order we started. It was decided initially we'd take half lap pulls. I had the feeling it was going to blow apart when I overheard others talking about gunning it once everyone took their initial turn. Sure enough our pace yo-yo'd after 4 laps and gaps began to open. A gap I closed zapped my legs and once on the front for my second pull, I did what I could to maintain the pace, pulled off and out. Our team then began to fragment down to four riders and was eventually caught.

The final event for me as I did not qualify for the kilo sprint was the elimination. Every two laps the last rider crossing the finish line is eliminated until two remain at which time, a sprint to the finish determines the winner. I half expected to be eliminated early but finally found my legs and did reasonably well finishing 3rd.

The evening was not all that bad and I had a single takeaway... a proper warm-up.

Results - March 24, 2015

Track Ontario Cup #1

This past Friday the 13th saw my return from the hiatus of sanctioned cycling racing. The first ever Ontario Cup track event was being held at the new Milton Velodrome – the Mattamy National Cycling Centre (MNCC) that will be the venue for track cycling at this summers Pan American Games. I had taken part in the Points Race.

Awaiting start on the infield

Although I had raced track before, it has been over 25 years ago as a junior/senior rider and on an outdoor asphalt velodrome in Delhi, ON. However I have been riding quite extensively at Forest City Velodrome (FCV) in London, ON since October 2014 and have become quite comfortable with the flow and speed of track riding logging in over 2,000km or 15000 laps of the 138m velodrome. Although I had no immediate intention of racing track this year, a "fun race night" was held a few weeks ago and I felt I held my own when riding against some seasoned track racers. It was enough to generate the spark and interest to race this year. The only caveat was not having ridden on the new MNCC velodrome and my only riding reference was a previous experience riding on the now defunct Olympic velodrome in Montreal back in 1988.

I booked myself into the first recertification program offered at MNCC only to have to miss the opportunity due to bad weather. I booked again but this time into the “A” and “B” certification programs, costing more but figured it would give me more track time. The experience was surreal and I could only compare the feeling to the first time I walked into the Skydome in Toronto. The velodrome was massive compared to FCV and riding it was like riding on a multi lane express way in overdrive. No longer did you get the sense of speed and feel the g-forces like you get at FCV, the experience was smooth and almost effortless but scary as hell at the same time, and particularly the first time you ride up and along the railing. MNCC do not allow computers on the bike so you better be damn sure you are going fast enough as it is a long slide down.

On the rail awaiting the start

With the certification behind me and a new sense of dread, I was off to compete two days later in a 30 lap 7.5km Points Race qualifier and should I qualify the 60 lap 15km Points Race final. Ironically I was not at all nervous come the moment they called us up and surprisingly confident even though the likes of Steve Bauer would be competing in the same heat as me. 25 years ago I wanted to compete along side Steve at the Canadian Tire Grand Prix down at Queens Park in Toronto, only to be denied by my team, High Park Cycle. Better late than never I suppose!

The Point Race is one of many different events that occur on the track. Sprints for points occur every 10 laps with points awarded to the top 4 (5 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd and 1 for 4th), 20 points if you lap the main field and -20 points if you are lapped. There’s obviously an advantage to lapping the field but at a higher physical cost as it requires a lot of effort or luck if you get in the right move. For myself, I figured I had the best chance of qualifying by going for the sprints. 18 riders would contest this qualification with the top 12 advancing.

Steve Bauer leading me out (ya right lol!)

For the most part, the race was a blur. There’s so much happening in such a short period of time and I was concerned only to obtain a few points and to stay upright. The first sprint out of three, I found myself out of position and crossed the line 6th in the group yet I believe two were off the front at the time. The second sprint I ensured that was not the case and followed a familiar wheel with two laps to go. I was a little confused as we crossed the line with the two laps to go as the bell was ringing. This generally suggests we are on the last lap before the sprint. As we crossed the line, the bell rang again and it dawned on me that the bell was ringing originally because the two off the front were just behind and about to catch us. I continued to follow the wheel in front and crossed the line safely in what I believed was 4th place. Coming into turn one, we both gradually rose up the banking as those behind is rode underneath. At the moment we were coming down the banking, a rider in front came up and I found myself trapped as we grazed tires and down I go. Sliding down head first on my left side I feel like it is an eternity as I wait for the inevitable rider(s) crashing into me from behind. As the track is self cleaning, you only hope those behind you ride up and above however that is not always the case. I hit the bottom concrete with a thud. I jump up, grab my bike, give the front wheel a spin to check if it is true, hop back on and ride off. Typically in the case of a crash or mechanical, a rider is given 5 laps free. I thought I might have the chance to actually get back on but in hindsight, I should have taken the free laps and contest the final sprint. In the end, I reflect on what transpired and await the results to find out whether I obtained the 1 point and would qualify for the final.

No sooner do I get my wounds attended to and visit my father who came down to watch, I hear over the pa system that I did in fact qualify with the single point obtained. Now, the long wait until the final.

Cooling down

The final itself again is just a blur. The speed was considerably higher as expected and I hear the announcer describe our effort as being “pinned”, a term which I had never heard before. A group get off the front and lap the field and I had little left to make any considerable effort. With 10 laps to go I found myself near the front and thought about doing something in the final sprint but there was just nothing left. I was doing what I could to hang on and figured my injuries were getting the better of me. All in all I was satisfied with the first track race. I’ve come away with a new appreciation for the track and a desire to improve physically and tactically. 6 weeks until the next Ontario Cup and I was back on the boards the next day at FCV to prepare.

Qualification Sprint Results | Overall Results
Final Sprint Results | Overall Results

Thrills, Spills and Bills

This past Tuesday I took part in the Midweek Cycling Club season opener criterium in Missassagua. My thinking was to use this weekly series to supplement my existing interval workouts I performed while at the same time, curb my appetite for racing and maybe save a few bucks from travelling across Ontario. At this event, typically two races are held. An early race for those wanting a slower pace, new to the sport and mandatory for all first time attendees, and a late race for those who have done well in the early race and have been promoted. Due to the limited day light as I later discovered, a single race was had. Although I had no immediate issues with a single race, the first few laps would be crucial as slower riders are shelled out the back. Positioning towards the front would be important.

The hour + 15 lap race began at a modest pace but soon picked up speed on the back stretch of the 1km circuit. With only two corners to contend with, it was not a technical course but due to the elevation changes and direction of wind, speeds in excess of 60km/h could be reached very quickly yet slow down just as fast. For the most part I felt really good during the race. I maintained my position towards the front, negotiated the corners and held the wheel in front of me well, and at times, put a few efforts off the front for fun. The sensations I felt brought me back to the days I use to ride on the track. I was having a blast! With one lap to go, we approached the first right hand corner at speed. Later I would learn we were travelling through the corner at 40km/h. No sooner did I have a chance to think, I felt tangled and caught with someone to my right. Before I knew it, I was on the ground and the only things I recall clearly was the sensation of being pulled, the thump of the rear left of my head striking the ground followed by the feeling of being run into from behind. As I lay there trying to comprehend what had just happened, I was quickly surrounded by people and being told to lay still. My initial fear was something was terribly wrong and thoughts of a fellow cyclist who years earlier shattered his leg on this same course went through my mind. But as I lay there, able to move my arms, legs, neck and head and without the feeling of blood oozing, I knew nothing was wrong and I began to sit up.

With local volunteers surrounding me, they began asking me a number of questions. Who I was? Where I was from? Was anyone here with me? Where's my car? What's my phone number? Who's my emergency contact? All of which I was able to answer without hesitation. As I think back, I have to laugh. As I was being asked, I was putting a significant amount of effort to answer their questions correctly and with conviction! Not only did I want them to believe me, I wanted to believe myself that nothing was wrong. It was time to call home and tell my wife the bad news. Oh shit!!!!

Because I hit my head, an ambulance had to be dispatched and I had to get checked out at the local hospital. While in the ambulance, they monitored my vitals and continued to ask questions. By this time, the adrenaline had all but dissipated and the pain now became apparent. I had road rash up the left side of my leg from the calf to my left hip, on my left elbow, on my right butt cheek and as I would later learn, a nice tire rub/skin tear on my left shoulder blade. My nice new Erace Cancer team kit was ruined and my helmet was shattered! But more importantly, I was okay. By this time, with the adrenaline gone, I began to feel tired and nauseated, but not because of the blow to the head. Unless I'm driving, I get nauseated in a car. To make matters worse, I was in the back of am ambulance riding backwards. Argh... give me a barf bag! Fortunately, everything stayed down and I was quickly moved through Triage and waiting to see the doctor. Perhaps one of the few benefits of hitting your head, you get to see the doctor before everyone else! Within a matter of moments and after she went through her shpeel of questions, she said I was free to go after my wounds were attended to by the nurse. I had half expected to have a scan to the head done but all she seemed to be concerned with was that there was someone at home to monitor me throughout the night. There was even no concern that I had to drive home alone! Arriving home later that night I spoke with my wife and surveyed the damage to the bike. For the most part it looked all cosmetic yet would require my mechanic to fix as I neither had the time nor tools. A few hundred bucks later, my mechanic made my bike look and feel new and gave me a good deal on a replacement helmet. Thanks Joe @ Impala Richmond Hill!

So where does this leave me? Good question. Two significant crashes in the span of a year leave you considering your options. Fortunately nothing was broken this time; however a blow to the head is not something to dismiss either. As I look back upon this journey it started with the desire to return to some level of fitness. Next it led to a desire to become competitive once again. Having achieved that, my next goal was to reach the highest level in the Master racing category, that being Master 1. Although not officially achieved, when I look back upon the year and in particular this Midweek race, I can say it has been achieved. I raced with the top Master A (30 - 39 year old) athletes in Ontario at the Ontario Road Championships last year and in this Midweek race, competed with a number of top level Master 1 cyclists. I know I can compete with them and know within myself I would be competitive. The question I have to ask myself is whether I need further proof of this and at what cost?

Good Friday Road Race 2012

The 2012 cycling racing season began this past Friday in Flamborough, ON. Presented by the Hamilton Cycling Club, the annual Good Friday Road Race has a rich history, being the oldest organized cycling event in Ontario. With the course travelling over the infamous Strabane Drumlins just north of Hamilton, with the cold and windy conditions, it is a great test of early season form, skill and determination.

In my second year of competitive cycling since my hiatus, I was anxious to learn how my form has progressed from the previous year. The last 5 weeks have been emotionally draining and my training although not disrupted, was more unstructured than I had originally planned. Throughout the winter all my riding was performed indoors. Only in the last two weekends did I actually get outside and road some challenging routes to test my legs. I felt good.

Although the day would be sunny, it was cold with a brisk north wind. For the most part I felt rather relaxed as compared to last year. This race last year followed two previous early season races with Easter falling later in April, but this year the race was the first of the season and a confirmed 97 participants in this Master 3 category had me a little concerned. Master 3 being the entry level into competitive master cycling, there would be a few first timers which would make for some nervous conditions. It was imperative to stay towards the front!

For this 2012 cycling season I am racing with Erace Cancer Cycling Team, established to bring cancer awareness and raise funds for The Princess Margaret Hospital. I had 3 teammates in the race but for the most part, I had expected us to race independently. Needless to say, it was nice to see familiar jerseys. We set off at approximately 8:30am for our 3 lap 55km race. From the start I ensured I was placed well within the peloton sitting within the first 15 cyclists. The pace was moderate which resulted in the peloton riding shoulder to shoulder and leaving little to no room to advance and requiring more attention to avoid potential hazards. As we approached the first drumlin, you could sense the anxiety settling in as the pace increased. Last year I recall standing up on the pedals, forcing them over and gasping for air on the climbs, however as I crested the first climb, I was sitting comfortably in the saddle, feeling strong and breathing comfortably. An indication my fitness has improved.

For the first lap and a half, we maintained a rather moderate pace such that towards the end of the second lap, we were neutralized to allow the following Senior 4 category to pass. Somewhat embarrassing but hey, as I overheard a spectator on one of the climbs say; these must be the old guys. I had to smile… I was officially an old guy!

For the remaining part of the race, I concentrated more on maintaining my position or moving closer to the front. A few times on the climbs there was some bumping of handlebars which left me a little uneasy. However due to the size of the field, little opportunity presented itself to move up. Along the last 3rd of the race, I tried to position myself towards the front up the left hand side of the road while attempting to observe the yellow line and avoiding being disqualified. It became a little too dodgy for my liking so I proceeded to move through the peloton towards the right and again attempt to move towards the front. I began to make some headway and with approximately 1km remaining, I was positioned nicely for the sprint finish. Sitting within the top 15, suddenly two cyclists crashed directly ahead of me. I saw one fly head over heels and other appearing on all fours on the road. With no where to go, initially I thought that was it, I was going down. At the last moment, I pulled up on my handlebars, clearing the front wheel over the downed cyclists, and thrusting the rear of the bike over him. I made it! OMG!!! In the past I have had some dramatic recoveries, but this one had to be an all time best! Either that or someone was looking out for me. With the crash avoided, I was then confronted by sudden cramps in both calves likely the result of the exertion to avoid the crash. I stood up and pushed both heels towards the ground to stretch them out. It provided some relief. With the last corner in sight, I did what I could to move up further as I had dropped back considerably. Leaning shoulder to shoulder with another cyclist, I almost go down again but manage to stay up. With the corner taken, a long line ahead of me begins to sprint. I do what I can and make up a few positions to take 11th place; a respectable placing for the first race of the season.

For the most part I was satisfied with the race. I felt good and strong on the climbs but admittingly did not feel like I had much energy. Understandably, its difficult to get up and motivated for an early race start when its 1 degree Celsius and the moderate pace may have been an indication of such.

Up next is Calabogie Classic in Calabogie, ON on April 22, 2012. Held at the Calabogie Motorsports Park, 11 laps of a 5.05km asphalt track with 20 turns, 20 meter changes in elevation and up to 6% cambers in turns, it is sure to be a good time. Looking forward to it!

Get Lean and Fast

As the new year approached and the tentative cycling racing schedule was released, I began to think of the next phase in my weight lifting and cycling periodization plan. I came to the conclusion that my strength focused phase was one month too long. Although I would have liked to have continued for an additional month as I am beginning to see noticeable improvements, one early season race I want to perform well and be competitive requires me to lose weight and add some power. I have already begun the journey of shedding pounds through diet and after last weeks recovery period, I'll begin a high intensity interval training (HIIT) program with weights and start more structured and focused cycling workouts.

Leaning Phase - Weight Lifting and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

The goal of the Leaning Phase is to decrease the amount of fat weight, increase muscular power while maintaining muscular strength. This will be done by performing exhaustive workouts where the metabolic cost of each exercises and the workout as a whole is increased. To increase the metabolic cost of each exercise, I'll only perform exercises that recruit the most muscles. Full body exercises such as squats and deadlifts for the lower body, upper body pulls will include chin-ups and bent-over rows, and upper body pushes will include dips, bench press and squat press. To increase the metabolic cost of the workout as a whole, rest between exercises will be reduced considerably. Additionally, two forms of HIIT will be performed before and after the weight lifting exercises. The first form of HIIT will target both the upper and lower body parts through a series of 6 circuits, each circuit lasting 45 seconds with a 30 second rest between each series. Each circuit will be a maximum effort and the short recovery ensures the metabolic cost remains high. The second form of HIIT will be sprint intervals (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off) on a treadmill. I won't be including any HIIT cycling intervals as the equipment at the gym is not optimum for this and my cycling intervals will progressively get harder as I'll explain below.

To retain as much muscular strength during this Leaning Phase, each cycle will be proceeded by a one week Loading Phase. In the previous Hypertrophy and Strength Development phases I completed, each cycle ended with a week of unloading. During this time, low to medium weights were used to allow the muscles time to rest and adapt from the previous weeks efforts. During the Loading Phase, super heavy weights will be lifted to maintain and likely gain muscular strength. The volume during the Loading Phase will be reduced and any strength gains will only assist when I return to the Leaning Phase as I'll be able to lift heavier weights. The Loading Phase will coincide with the recovery period in my cycling Preparation Phase described below.

Preparation Phase - Cycling and Intervals at Lactate Threshold

The goal of this phase is to build upon the aerobic base acquired in the proceeding Foundation Phase by gradually introducing workouts to challenge my lacate threshold. There are many ways to determine ones lactate threshold heart rate; for my purpose, I estimate using field tests due to its convenience as it can be completed anywhere at no cost. One of the more notable field test methods from Joe Friel who suggests using a 30 minute time trial effort and record the average heart rate over the last 20 minutes or the average heart rate in a 1 hour race. I however prefer to use Chris Charmichael's method of two 8 minute time trial efforts and recording the highest average heart rate from the two efforts as described in his books The Time Crunched Cyclist and Ultimate Ride. The reason I prefer the later is that the second effort is generally better, more realistic than the first, can be easily completed on a single flat stretch of road and due to its relative shortness, allows you to give a 100% on both efforts. Too many variables get in the way in the first effort such as nerves and excitement resulting in starting off too fast or too slow. The length of the former field test method allows your mind to drift resulting in either a lack of concentration or the instilment of doubt. Additionally, I believe you will hold back in fear of not having the stamina to complete the test. With experience, this becomes less of an issue.

With my lactate threshold heart rate determined, I am able to set my heart rate training intensity zones and construct my training plan to prepare for key races in the year. My training plan up until the end of spring will consist of four one month mesocycles. Similar to other periodization strategies I have followed to date, each mesocycle will contain four one week microcycles, one of which will be reserved for recovery and adaptation. I find the three weeks on, one week off strategy works for me from a recovery perspective. Mesocycles one and three will include workouts below lactate threshold to lactate threshold where as mesocycles two and four will include workouts at lactate threshold to VO2max.

My challenge is the amount of time I am willing to set aside for cycling training. As I've mentioned in my blog before, all my training is done in the early hours usually before anyone is awake. Until the days the sun rises at 6am, most of my rides will therefore be indoors. Because of this, I found following a structured approach described by Chris Charmichael in his book The Time Crunched Cyclist works for my schedule, therefore I will continue to use and adapt his principals to my training. As there are specific attributes in each race I am targeting, I will be making adjustments in each mesocycle to prepare myself in the best way that I can. In the end, I hope it works out.  In the come months, I'll provide some riveting tales on my progress!

Weekly Video - January 8, 2012

4ème Manche de CDM cyclo-cross - Namur Belgium

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Winter Cycling - Beating the Indoor Monotony

Here in Southern Ontario, winter riding is for the most part do-able providing the roads are clear of snow and ice. The real issue is temperature as it can drop as low as -15 to -20 degrees Celsius. The coldest temperature I have ridden in while still remaining somewhat comfortable is -2 degrees Celsius without wind-chill. Those were in my younger days… these days my preference is riding inside.

Riding inside isn’t for everyone. It can be boring and monotonous, riding miles nowhere on a stationary trainer reading a book, watching television or day dreaming. To keep myself alert, to challenge my bike handling skills and to perfect my pedaling technique, I prefer to ride inside on rollers rather than a stationary trainer.

Cycling Rollers consist of 3 cylinders affixed to a frame. The bike sits on top of the rollers with the rear wheel sitting on top of two rear cylinders and the front wheel sitting on top of the front cylinder. When the bike is ridden, a cable attached to both the inside rear cylinder and the front cylinder turns turning the front cylinder and as a result turns the front wheel of the bike. This allows the bike to be balanced while ridden resulting in a near road like riding feeling. The only caveat is balancing the bike on the 12” long rollers… a skill in itself which is easily obtained with some practice.

Some dismiss the use of rollers as an effective training device due to their limited resistance capabilities. In my experience, I find the rollers provide an adequate amount of resistance for recovery rides, endurance rides, steady state intervals, lactate threshold intervals and in the saddle sprints. The resistance can be adjusted through the choice gearing and/or tire pressure or alternatively, through the use of a different cylinder circumference. The smaller the cylinder’s circumference, the more resistance will be felt.  It is possible to spin out on rollers and exceed speeds in excess of 100km/h, but I challenge anyone to attempt to do this for any duration longer than a minute!

Riding the rollers and the resulting alertness required to maintain your balance is generally enough to pass the time. However, I find adding a series of intervals passes the time quickly and provides an adequate workout.

In my current base preparation, I am mixing between muscle tension and steady state intervals while also completing muscle and strength development in the gym. For muscle tension intervals, I choose the largest gear and ride at a low cadence such as 50rpm for the desired interval duration. I do not worry about heart rate zone for muscle tension intervals. For steady state intervals, I choose a gearing that I can maintain a cadence of 90 to 95rpm for the desired interval duration and maintain my heart rate in my preferred workout zone.

My preferred workout zone is derived as a percentage of my anaerobic threshold (ATHR). I obtained my anaerobic threshold by completing two 8 minute efforts as hard as possible. For this, again I choose a gear I believe I can maintain a cadence of 90-95rpm for the full 8 minutes. At the end of each 8 minute effort, I recorded my average heart rate. After the second 8 minute effort, I recorded highest average heart rate as my anaerobic threshold heart rate. For me, this is 180bpm.

My Heart Rate Zones:

Z1 ( < 80% ATHR ): < 144bpm
Z2 ( 80% - 89% ATHR ): 144 – 162bpm
Z3 ( 90% - 93% ATHR ): 162 – 169bpm
Z4 ( 94% - 100% ATHR ): 169 – 180bpm
Z5 ( > 100% ATHR ): > 180bpm

The following is a sample of a steady state (SS) workout I performed recently. My HR hovers in the upper bounds of Z2 between 155 and 162bpm:

Warm-up ( 20 minutes )

4 minutes ( Z1 )
2 minutes ( Z2 )
1 minute ( Z1 )
2 minutes ( Z2 )
1 minute ( Z1 )
1 minute ( Z3 )
1 minute ( Z1 )
2 minutes ( Z3 )
6 minutes ( Z1 )

Intervals ( 70 minutes )

5 x 10 min Z2 w/ 5 min rest Z1

Cool-down ( 20 minutes )

20 minutes Z1

Total Workout Time: 110 minutes

Over the course of my base period, I will adjust both the interval duration ( Z2 ) and rest ( Z1 ) to continue to challenge myself. I will not adjust the intensity (increase my heart rate zone target) or cadence. Cadence will always remain within the 90-95rpm so gearing may be adjusted accordingly.

Niagara Classic Road Race 2011 - Ontario Cup Road Race #7

My 2011 competitive cycling campaign has come to an end at the 2011 edition of the Niagara Classic held in Pelham, Ontario.  For this final Ontario Cup cycling race, double points were awarded for the top 15 finishers.  After the second accent up Saylor’s Hill, I accepted the fact that my 3rd place overall in the Master 3 Ontario Cup standing going into this race would not stand.  My legs would not respond to the pace of the others up the 2km accent and I completed the race at my own pace.

Overall I am quite happy about my racing performance this year.  I far exceeded my expectations having been away from cycling or any athletic activity for 19 years.  It’s interesting to see that after so many years away from the sport, there are certain races, terrain and situations that continue to suit you better.  Recognizing weaknesses provides me with the desire to work on these over the next 6 months.

I proved to myself that no one is ever Too Fat to Be Fit.  With a conscience effort to eat healthy and exercise, it is possible to return to some form of fitness.  Add some structure and intensity; it too is possible to become competitive which for years I did not think would be possible.

2011 Ontario Provincial Cycling Championships

Me w/ red helmet behind Matthias Schmidt

The 2011 Ontario Provincial Road Cycling Championships were held on Sunday July 24 in Heidelberg, ON, a small town just north of Waterloo. 8 weeks since separating my shoulder and 5 weeks into riding again, this was my first race back. Realistically I was just hoping to finish today’s Master A race and using it for some decent race miles as it was just over 100km in length. Unlike other races I have participated in which were ability based (Master 1 through to Master 3, where I raced Master 3; the entry level), this race was aged based (Master A – 30 to 39 years old). I would be competing against some of the strongest Master and in some cases Senior level cyclists who elected to race at the Master level in National and Provincial championships. I was looking forward to it as it would be a way to gauge my ability should I obtain the necessary points to upgrade.

Fortunately the heat wave over the last week more or less broke today but there was still considerable humidity. Hydration was going to be a key and I was lucky to have my father on hand to assist in the feed zone. With the race starting at 1:17pm, it was a nice change to leave home at a respectable hour in the morning. However, racing in the heat of the day was going to be a challenge. All my riding and racing to date has been in the early hours of the morning. The race distance was over 40km more than I have raced this year. On the bike food and energy consumption had to be taken into account. I decided to start off with a single bottle of water, a bottle of an electrolyte drink and I would carry a few GU gels. I know they state never to try anything new on race day, but this day would be my first taking gels. It would be more convenient than carrying food.

I arrived just shortly after 11am and had ample time to register and receive my replacement license for today would be the first day I would race under the colours of Impala Bicycles rather than as an Independent. I spoke with a few Master C&D racers who had just finished and got some insight into the race course. The course was described as rolling hills but apparently there were a significant number of false flats. With a high anticipated pace, I suspected these false flats would begin to take their toll on me.

With my preparation complete, I was off to begin my warm-up. With the heat and the hanging humidity, I found it difficult to get an adequate warm-up. The undulating course too did not provide any benefit. While warming up, I discovered my back wheel was a little out of true as it was rubbing the back brake. Fortunately I discovered this before the race and was able to adjust the brake to prevent the rubbing.

We began the race minutes after the Elite 1&2 and Master B’s. 40+ of us set off on a neutral start from the parking “field” and settled in to a steady yet fast pace. I positioned myself nicely within the middle of the field and moved up as opportunities and space allowed. The first lap I tried to take in as much of the course as I could. By the end of that first lap, I found the most challenging section was just beyond the downhill section after the start/finish line as there were a series of little stinging climbs and false flats.

For the duration of the race, there was not much happening from my viewpoint. There were a few breaks off the front, the most significant having a minute lead, but once the field decided to real them in, they did so swiftly. The race ended in a field sprint with Matthias Schmidt taking a commanding win.

For me, my competition was within the feed zone and a battle to ward off impending leg cramps. I would take my first water at the end of lap 3. An attack or acceleration went off the front and I was gapped on the rise to the finish line. Putting the bottle between my teeth, I jumped to catch on to the rear of the field just as the bottle fell to the road. 14.5km without water but I thought I should be fine as I still had an electrolyte drink on hand. Coming up again towards the feed zone, I was looking for my father to receive much needed water and I could not see him through all those standing within the feed zone. Another 14.5km without water! Into lap #5, I took a second gel and had to down in with the last of my electrolyte drink. I began to feel a cramp coming on in my calves and I tried to stretch them out. I needed water this lap and I positioned myself as close to the front as possible. Coming up to the end of lap #5, it was getting rather congested within the feed zone as others were in need of water as well. I was pushed off my line a few times but finally made my way to the right and got it successfully. Again I was gapped in the feed zone but with the bottle secure, I jumped again to make contact with the end of the field. Just as soon as I made contact and on the decent after the start/finish line, both quads began to cramp. On the rise leading up to the first right hand turn, my hamstrings then seized. Cramping in both the quads and hamstrings became more and more severe and I could no longer pedal. The remaining field passed me by and I signalled to the commissarie following our race that I was done. Once the cramps subsided, I rode easy to the end of the 6th lap and watched the sprint final from the side lines.

Overall I was satisfied with the race yet disappointed I did not finish. I felt I had the legs to go the distance at race pace but I suspect the combination of dehydration, over saturation of electrolytes or lack thereof?? and the demands on the course for my current level of fitness did me in.

Nith River Road Race 2011 - Ontario Cup #4



Nith River Road Race 2011 - 2nd Master 3

 Patience was the order of the day today.  After being a little overzealous last week in the final at Bike the Bruce, today I was going to change my tactic and let the final play out.  The tactic worked out in the end.

The day began very early, woke up at 3am to begin my journey to Wellsley, Ontario and little town east of Kitchener/Waterloo.  Fortunately, the temperature on this May long weekend was on our side with a projected high of 16 degrees.  Rain and thunderstorms were called for later in the afternoon but there was a possibility of rain in the morning.

I arrived at Wellsley ahead of schedule.  The 2 ½ hour drive was just shy of 2 hours and it gave me plenty of time to drive and review the 16.4km course.  I was a little apprehensive of this race was I was told it was a rolling course with little to no flats.  Although my racing and progression have been going well, continuous hill efforts over 64kms left me worried.  Driving the course, I was reassured that my concerns were nothing to worry about.  If anything, the course suited my style.  The final especially was in my favour as it was somewhat technical with a few sweeping turns and undulating terrain with a slight downhill to the finish.  In my mind, I knew this race was for me!

With the registration open at 7am for our 8:30am start, there was ample opportunity to get ready which was a nice change from the previous few races.  My dilemma was the temperature.  It was cool enough to warrant a long sleeve jersey yet warm enough to forgo it all together.  If the humidity increased, I may find myself overheating yet if it rained, I would be cold.  In the end, I decided to wear the long sleeve jersey as it has a full length zipper on the front that could be unzipped to provide some needed circulation.

As I was warming up on the rollers, my legs felt tired and heavy.  It wasn’t a surprise as on Friday I assisted with my son’s Track & Field meet at school and was responsible for raking and measuring at the standing long jump competition.  What you don’t take into account when volunteering for such an event is the exertion required squatting up and down all day to take measurements.  I added some additional higher cadence intervals in an attempt to loosen them up.

By 8:15am, we were summoned to the line by the race commissarie.  The race would start from the parking lot and be neutralized until we reached Gerber Road.  With the race beginning downhill, I had a feeling the race would begin at a considerable pace.  I made sure I was towards the front.


Nith River Road Race - Course Map



Nith River Road Race - Course Profile

Nith River - Main Peloton

With the race now underway, it did not take long for the attacks to begin.  A single cyclist from Vitess went off the front in what I would consider a doomed attempt.  Although the winds were not a strong as last week, a cross wind would be felt on the majority of the course.  The peleton kept him within easy reach.  Into the second lap, a second cyclist launched an attack to bridge up to the lone Vitess cyclist.  Now with two up the road, if they cooperated, there’d be a chance they would make something of their efforts.  Obviously I was not the only one to think that and shortly, the two were soon caught.  All other breakaway attempts throughout the race were quickly neutralized which suited me well.

Mid way through the second lap my legs were again very tired and heavy just as Jeff Murphy (Team Bike-Fit) and Nick Schwertfeger (Newmarket Eagles Cycling Club) began pushing the pace.  Although I was never in any concern during the race, I could just follow.  I spent more time hydrating myself and spinning the pedals uphill to keep the legs loose and roll along in bigger gears when going downhill.  It seemed to help as into the third lap, I was beginning to feel better.

Mid way through the third lap, the anticipated rain really began to fall.  It had been spitting earlier.  Making our way down Regional Road 107 there’s a descent with a right hand turn at the base taking us onto Perth Line.  As the roads were now as slippery as ice, one cyclist slid out on the turn which alerted us all to the likelihood of more crashes.  For the remainder of the race, more caution was taken.

Into the final lap, the pace remained constant and the jostling for position began along Perth Line.  An attack was made up the left of the road and over the yellow line by Edmond Mellina (Lapdogs Cycling Club) resulting in his disqualification by the race commissaire.  A few others drifted across the yellow line but this was more a result of the switching that was taken place as positions in the peleton were being fought for.  At this point I was sitting mid way through the peleton on the left.  I had expected on the hairpin corner leading onto Gerber Road, there’d be some crashes and I wanted to ensure I was well clear of them.  In the final along Gerber Road, the yellow line rule would not apply allowing us the full use of the road.  Riding on the left provided me with ample space to set up for my sprint.  As I mentioned earlier, I was going to let the final play out and not take any risks or initiative.  That tactic worked in my favour as the sprint started well in advance of the finish line.  I was positioned well, again nicely sheltered from the crosswind and while still seated, raised my cadence and speed and quickly made ground within the peleton.  With the finish line in sight in what seemed to be less than a hundred meters, I began my sprint.  I felt as I was able to effortlessly overtake everyone and as I threw my bike at the line, with the front wheel actually coming off the ground, looking to my right I knew it was close.  Jamie Saavedra (Independent) would go on to claim first with me coming in second by less than three inches!

Nith River Road Race - Master 3 Final




Nith River Road Race - Master 3 Final

  Overall I couldn’t have been happier.  With the initial reservations about the race and course, the tiredness and heaviness I was experiencing before and during the race, and the tactic which I followed to the end, it was a great race.  If my calculations are correct, I am leading the standings in the Master 3 – Ontario Cup Standings with my 7^th at Calabogie, 2^nd at Springbank and 2^nd here at Nith River.

Master 3 Men Results - 65.6 km - Average Speed 37.5 km/h

1 SAAVEDRA, Jaime   INDEPENDENT                 01:45:01 
2 CUMMINGS, Killian INDEPENDENT                 st.
3 PITTS, Martin     RACER SPORTIF/MATTAMY HOMES st.

Complete Results click here

Bike the Bruce 2011 - Ontario Cup #3

It was not to be my day today at this annual edition of Bike the Bruce held on the roads between Sauble Beach and Wiarton, Ontario.  Having been raised Owen Sound, a near by town and at the end of my 8 week training build, I wanted to do well at the race.  With a bit of misfortune in the final I would see my hope fade within the last 100 meters.

In what seems to be a recurring event each week, the weather was not on our side again.  Fortunately the forecast for rain was wrong, but the forecasted wind was not.  30 to 40km/h winds were on tap for the race today and a cold 7 degree Celsius temperature.  My drive from Owen Sound to the start in Sauble Beach went via Wiarton as I wanted to see the course as it had been many years since I rode these roads.  The race took us from the north end of Sauble Beach, north to Oliphant and north/east to Wiarton.  A short loop on the west end of Wiarton we travelled back on the same road down to Oliphant and a 5km loop back to the start/finish.  We completed this circuit twice for a total of 64km.  As I drove, I made note the wind was from a North/East direction.  The ride between Oliphant and Wiarton would be tough with a strong cross-wind.  Any team willing to stick their nose and hammer in the wind would make the race hellish!

At the start line, I was surprised to learn they split the S4/M3 race into two distinct groups.  Apparently as I was told after, the year before the S4 hammered so hard, they spit the M3s out the back.  I enjoyed the mix category racing as it included an added element… more speed!  At 8:30am, we set off and quickly formed a group and then strung out almost single file riding into a direct head wind.  I was sitting within the first 10 of the group and noticed one lone cyclist off the front.  Someone road up to me and had said it was almost embarrassing but that we were only doing 26km/h!  Racing on my own and with still the entire race to go, I myself wasn’t about to hammer at the front.  We kept the lone cyclist in front at about 15 to 20 seconds.  He stayed out there until our return on the circuit.

Reaching Wiarton, we negotiated a small gradual climb which allowed me to stretch out the legs.  At the top, the lone cyclist was still ahead and two others surged off the front in an attempt to bridge.  I too jumped as I saw an opportunity with four of us off the front; we’d potentially have the ability to hold off the field.  I bridged to the two in front and as a gesture to show I was willing to work; I surged ahead of them and began closing in on the cyclist ahead.  Having nearly caught him, I looked behind only to see the entire peleton strung out single file about 10 meters behind.

The stretch to Oliphant was fast!  Not quite a tailwind but enough on your backside to get you moving, at times we hit 50–60km/h.  A few failed attempts to get away were made and my fear was that if a gap large enough would open and having enough riders in it, that on the second lap, the gap wouldn’t just stick but grow.  I countered every move not in an attempt to prevent it from succeeding but to catch the tail end and get away.  At one point, three BikeFit team mates were towards the front pushing the pace and I sensed they were going to try to make something happen.  I was sitting in about 5^th place when one of them became verbally upset that I was not participating in the pace making.  Racing on my own without team mates and contributing to pace making at the front of the peleton does not make tactical sense.  While I sat on his wheel, he began to drift allowing a small gap to form between him and the four up front.  Knowing what he was up to, I surged around him and joined the four in front.  Just then, I heard him yell “GO!”, a signal for his team mates to begin hammering.  To my surprise they did nothing but look back and the peleton soon brought us back.

Reaching Oliphant, we began the 5km loop back to the start/finish.  It was a winding circuit with sharp left and right turns keeping us all on alert.  The roads were especially slippery with the sections of gravel and sand likely as a result of the winter road maintenance and/or sand from the near by beach.  It was going to be a dicey finish I thought to myself.  Heading up the final straight to the start/finish line, a rider from Newmarket was hammering at the front.  Shyt he’s strong I thought to myself and I sensed the start of the second lap was going to be significantly faster!  I began moving my way towards the front.

We make the left turn to start the second lap and as in the first lap, the pace again slowed and we crawled along at a slow speed.  Unlike the first lap, there were a few instances were the speed picked up but no one took any initiative to get off the front.  For me, perhaps it’s the lack of confidence in myself or the reality that I do not have the stamina to hammer into the wind at my current state of fitness.  I know I have the acceleration and power to match almost anyone, but I am far away from the ability to go at it on my own.  I wait and stay sheltered to conserve my energy for the attacks that are sure to come in the final 15km.

A few more attacks go off the front as we head into the circuit once we reached Wiarton.  One that seemed serious was on the uphill stretch but it too did not materialize into anything.  The stretch back to Oliphant was again very fast and the only significant move that put me on alert was again that one rider from Newmarket.  He must be a time trialist I thought, very strong but fluid pedal stroke.  Bridging up to him hurt but I could see he too was hurting a little.

We reached the final circuit in Oliphant and as expected, the jousting for position began.  With a tail/crosswind combination because of the changes in direction due to the twisting nature of the circuit, positioning became difficult.  Like at Springbank where I finished second, I wanted to be sheltered for the sprint as it would be along a straight with a cross-wind from the left.  My positioning was great as we approached a sharp bend and two cyclists must have bumped or something as a section of the field had to slow and renegotiate their line.  At this point I was in a pretty significant gear and I had brake hard and then get my speed back up.  Making the last left hand turn into the finishing straight, it must have been another 600-800 meters or so to the finish line.  I was exactly where I wanted to be when I noticed a small gap forming with three riders off the front.  At that moment, there seemed to be a deceleration in the bunch and with my velocity I found myself at the front.  Shyt I thought and with nothing else to do, I jumped and tried to bridge to the three off the front.  I had a great jump and looking down I could tell no one was on my wheel.  I sat about 10 meters behind the three but I couldn’t close the gap.  With the strong crosswind, I sat between them and a charging peleton but I believed I had the speed necessary to carry me to the finish and I began to think of that 4^th place finish.  No sooner do I think that, I can begin to feel the sensation in my legs setting in.  Slowly my legs begin to feel like lead weights.  Shyt I say to myself again and I get up and try to sprint harder as the field first catches me and then begins to pass.  One… two… three… pass and I am done.  My legs give out and I am forced to sit up.  Argh!

So disappointing but at the same time I was pretty satisfied with my race.  Today place is not a reflection of my race.  For the first time this year, I felt like I was able to contribute more to the race, making a few attacks, bridging across to others, my recovery between efforts were much better.  The training I have done to date has allowed me to perform above my expectations.