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Feb
29

Enjoy The Ride

by ikeepittight in Blog Comments: 0

By guest KIT blogger, Nat Miller

All I could hear was my raspy, labored breathing and the thudding of my heartbeat deep in my eardrums. I had long ago punched into my lowest gear and continued to grind up the 45 minute gravel climb, hoping to view the top of the ridge every time I rounded a corner, yet continuing to be disappointed as the serpent-like turns climbed ever-skyward. “Battles in cycling are nothing short of epic.”


I was on a typical early season training ride in the Pisgah Mountains, trying out the new mountain bike I had purchased the day before and realizing how mushy my pasty white legs had gotten over the winter. I continued to suffer for the remainder of the weekend, putting in 8 total hours of ride time in the 36 hours we spent in North Carolina. Despite our agony, it was a ton of fun.

It was during one of the particularly painful climbs of the weekend that I was struck by how all cyclists could be considered masochists. There really is no other explanation for our actions.

Riding at threshold power typically feels like your lungs are coming through your nose. Hitting the deck at speed is similar to jumping from a moving car naked. Bonking may be the most horrible experience on earth, made worse by the fact that you know at least 5 minutes before it’s going to happen with no way to stop it. Often we put in so many miles that various body parts go numb, muscle cramps cause excruciating pain as our bodies yearn for depleted nutrients, and we return with clothes caked with crusty salt deposits, mud, and road grit.

Yet, for our craziness, cyclists remain enamored with the sport.

I rolled through a tight uphill turn, grinning to myself as I dropped a few rings and felt that familiar burn in my upper quads, standing to deliver more power to the pedals. I rocked back and forth, settling into a rhythm and becoming comfortable with my increased level of effort. The road continued to stretch upward in front of me, now beginning to reach into the mist of the mountaintop ahead.

Battles in cycling are nothing short of epic. They are fought over the course of hours, if not days and weeks. The true greats of the sport use strategy to time their attacks, metering their strength before unleashing animalistic bursts of power at the most opportune moment. During these attacks, an athlete’s true mettle is tested, every muscle fiber firing in a bid for the win. Whether it is a mountaintop finish or a drag race for the line, cyclists are known for “leaving it all out on the course.” Rarely do you see a cyclist entrenched in a true battle finishing a race as if it did not matter. The norm is that with every ounce of energy gone, completely wasted, head hanging between sagging shoulders, the loser slowly rolls across the line. Yet even beaten, this athlete knows he can stand proud having given it his all when it mattered most.

As I continued to climb, I forgot the pain in my legs and lungs. I looked at the Rhododendron around me, hearing nothing but the crunch of gravel and the metal-on-metal whir of chain on sprocket. The pile of work waiting at home on my desk? Forgotten. Bills to be paid? Didn’t enter my mind. As I slope around an off-camber bend in the road, daylight begins to poke around the trees at the top of the next, and final, rise.

The truth is, as cyclists we are not masochists. We are not chasing or “embracing” the pain in as much as we are escaping into a simpler, rawer world. Being on a bike and pushing your limits takes you to a place few people today experience. Risking sounding too much like a “Fight Club” reference gone wrong, being on a bike makes you feel alive. You push your body to the point that every neuron is firing in succession…and then you go beyond. You make the town sign, crest the climb, or win the Wednesday night crit and, with arms spread wide in the universal sign of victory, have the realization that you never want to lose that feeling again. Most people will never understand this sensation, but every cyclist knows it intimately.

In essence, this is what “Keeping it Tight” is to me. Balancing a “real life” with chasing the euphoria of my sports. So as I wave to the commuter on the opposite side of the road or slide into my position at the front of a charging paceline, I nod knowingly at the pain my fellow cyclists have experienced simply to achieve that which we call bliss.

Finally, I sit a little straighter and ease the pressure on my pedals. I have crested the climb and now await the remainder of the group making their way to the top. As each member arrives, we soft pedal, sip water, swap “war stories”, and then point our knobby tires down the mountain to reap the rewards of our efforts. An hour later, another lengthy climb awaits our tired legs, but for now, we are simply enjoying the ride. KIT.

*Nathaniel Miller is a full-time technical writer with a passion for the open road, but enjoys a healthy dose of trails on occasion. He prefers gut-wrenching climbs to walks on the beach, 55mph descents to bike lanes, and assumes everyone knows what “riding on the rivet” means. His goals in 2012 include catching a handful more races than last year and riding the same distance the pros do during each stage of this year’s Tour de France.

Jan
27

Shoes On a Budget

by ikeepittight in Blog Comments: 2

By guest KIT blogger, Chris Chapron

I’m going to cut to the chase. I’m a mountain biker at heart. I prefer dirt to pavement. I started off racing MTBs and that grew into cyclocross to extend the season (and the occasional foray into some Wells Ave training races (Newton, MA) which all have been replaced by commuting and bringing the kids on their bikes into the woods. With that being said, as the years passed I needed a new pair of shoes that could stand the rigors of commuting, the occasional race, and helping the young-ins push their little BMX bikes through the woods and up the hills.
“Northwave Rebel SBS”

I’m on a budget, a tighter than spandex budget. Would I love some Sidi Eagles or Mavic Rush’s ? Yes, but my wallet does not. I picked up a pair of Northwave Rebel SBS instead (formerly know as the Raptor SBS) for $110 with shipping while on sale. The specs read something like: Ratcheting buckle-SBS strap, two Velcro straps, aggressive tread pattern, carbon reinforced soles, standard issue. Nothing fancy but built sturdy, light, well aerated, and they look good. Form and function achieved.

I have logged over 20 months in these shoes and still love them. A slightly wider than normal toe box fits my overly flat feet and an adjustable footbed insert helps dial them in. They work well with the shimano XT pedals/cleats, a carry-over from the MTB days. Water, mud, Cambridge potholes, spilled drinks, and the occasional hike across streams and gravel have not destroyed them yet. I had one ratchet break when my youngest decided to experiment with a hammer. I contacted Northwave customer service and they shipped out not one, but two matching ratcheting buckles so the colors would match for no charge. Even followed up with an email to make sure they worked. For the money, you can’t go wrong with any of their offerings. They even come in white, because I’m told that’s “Tight”!

*Chris Chapron is a father of two boys, mountain biker, roadie and a daily bike commuter. When not putting the hammer down (PTHD) at work and enjoying time with family, he is out exploring local trails, roads and New England breweries.

Jan
11

Mother’s Guilt

by ikeepittight in Blog Comments: 0

By guest KIT blogger, Jessica Truslow-Trapotsis

“Momnmy are you leaving?”

Photo by Chris Milliman

My three-year old son sees me in my cycling attire. “Mommy are you leaving?” he asks. “Yes, I am sweetie.” I respond. “Can I go with you?” he asks hopefully. “No honey. Mommy isn’t going on a fun ride. When I get home we’ll go for a family ride. I won’t be long.”

Over the summer my son and I had this conversation 3-4 times a week. He didn’t understand that I was equipped with my power meter and coach’s specific instructions in order to do a “training ride.” In no way would this be a “family” ride. I couldn’t even find adults who wanted to join me. Regardless, all he understood was that his mommy was putting on her cycling attire and leaving him…again. He would ask a few more times if he could join me before he finally gave up. I would quickly leave before I chose him over my training plan.

As I rode away I would try to rationalize my decision: I am a better mother for being in shape, right? I will live longer…yes, that’s right! And, of course, it’s important for my kids to see me pursue my own interests….yes, yes, yes! I just hoped that the benefits of these results outweighed the negatives of juggling schedules and being gone for hours each week in order to meet my training objectives. I also should add that I work full-time. The guilt lingers. How do I know if the trade-offs are worth it? There are many articles, like the one at the link below, that support my instinct that training benefits me in numerous ways:
8 Unexpected Benefits of Exercise

Media sources have made these assertions for a long time now. However, they have always felt a bit absent of data. Were they just telling me what I wanted to hear or were they really true? Recently, I read Dr. John Ratey’s book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and The Brain. Using brain research Dr. Ratey explains the body’s biological and chemical responses to “moderate exercise.” His work reveals that exercise-induced brain chemistry alterations lead to improved cognition, reduced hormonal fluctuation in women, better stress and anxiety management as well as mood stabilization. “Moderate exercise” also staves off dementia and drastically improves one’s focus and attention (yes, this means all of us ADD adults should be exercising!). Aha! I really am a better mom/wife and even colleague as a result of exercising. Finally, I have the data to back up my rationalizations not just fluffy media assertions. Check out the link below for more information about Dr. Ratey’s work: Body-Mind Connection
“Mommy did you win?”


Upon returning from a triathlon last summer I was greeted by both my sons as I pulled into the driveway. I am not even out of the car before my five-year old son asked, “Mommy, did you win?” I hoped he just wanted to see if I had won a medal with which he could play, but I wondered if the real question wasn’t, “Mommy was all that time away from us worth it?” The guilt hadn’t entirely dissipated despite having read Dr. Ratey’s book.

Why? Well, if all I am interested in is achieving the benefits of “moderate exercise” then I could just walk or jog 3-4 times a week and be all set. But, I don’t. I train about 8-12 hours a week on average…sometimes more. So, what’s that all about? Well, truth is, I just love to compete. Maybe it’s all grounded in some kind of mind-body connection that Dr. Ratey explains with his research, but I just love pushing myself. Whether it is relative to other people’s performance or against the clock, the thrill of continual improvement and challenge is what drives me. To approach, face, and push beyond my physical and mental limits is a cleansing and re-calibrating endeavor.

For me, it’s just not enough to go for a jog, swim laps or go for a nice bike ride with friends – although all of those activities are great to do. And, believe me, the moment when the morning sun rises just enough above the trees to cascade light over Walden Pond is not lost on me. But the rush I get from pushing past what was previously defined as my “best” is restorative. The focus necessary to push to, and hopefully beyond, my limits quells the chaos that is so prevalent elsewhere in my life. In those moments I have to be fully present, attuned to everything that is happening right at that moment. It becomes the ultimate escape from my multi-tasking, information-overloaded world. It probably is just what Dr. Ratey is talking about but taken to another level.

So, now when I have to peelmy son off my leg while he exclaims, “Mommy, don’t go!” (I am not kidding. This actually happens.) I still feel pangs of guilt, but a bit less so….especially as the endorphins start to flow…

*Jessica Truslow-Trapotsis is a happily married mother of two little boys. She works full time during the week and enjoys putting the hammer down on the weekends. She will be participating in the ITU Triathlon World Championship in Auckland New Zealand in 2012.