The Assaults Routes--Key Points, pt I (and a few suggestions)

Over the next week, I will blog the Assaults course (see schedule below):

Part I, The Start:

The Assault on Marion and the Assault on Mt. Mitchell challenge cyclists by both the distance of the events and the routes themselves. Along with training for fitness and cycling skills, participants in these events can benefit from knowing the courses and preparing specifically for key points along the routes.

Assaults @ Strava http://app.strava.com/segments/632878

(REMINDER: Participants in the Assaults can sign up for unlimited Strava usage through http://theassaults.com)

The Start--The start of all mass-start large fields is always a key moment for riders. First, all riders should position themselves appropriately. The front 200-300 riders will start fast (race intensity), and riders not capable or interested in finishing in the sub-5 to 6 hour range can either get burned out keeping up (in 2010, the front pack completed the first 50 miles in 2 hours, averaging 25 mph over a challenging course) or create dangerous situations by riding more slowly than the front pack. At the start as well, all riders should be skilled at starting smoothly--holding your line, clipping into your pedals quickly (without looking down).

The first few miles of the Assaults include rollers, creating the accordion effect (the middle and back of the large pack quickly collapses toward the front, which slows on a climb while the other riders are still descending or just reaching the shift from a descent to an ascent), and a notoriously dangerous bridge on Hwy 9 crossing over business I-85 (rough bridge crossings with gaps and holes create flats, overlapped wheels, and sudden movements by riders trying to avoid road dangers). The start and first 10-20 miles of the ride are often the most frantic and require the greatest diligence by riders, including bicycle handling, secure water bottles, and diligent regard for everyone's safety.

IN THE FIRST 20 MILES SPECIFICALLY (AND THROUGHOUT THE RIDE) CYCLISTS MUST NOT CROSS THE YELLOW LINE TO ADVANCE. ONCE YOU CROSS THE LINE YOU INVARIABLY MUST RE-ENTER THE PACK (OFTEN WITH AN ONCOMING CAR MAKING THIS URGENT) AND YOUR DARTING BACK INTO THE PACK ENDANGERS EVERYONE. NO ONE WILL INSURE A SUCCESSFUL ASSAULTS IN THE FIRST 20 MILES BY ADVANCING IN THE PACK, BUT YOU CAN INSURE AN END TO THE RIDE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS IF YOU FAIL TO RIDE PRIMARILY WITH SAFETY AND SPORTSMANSHIP IN MIND.

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Tips/Reminders for game day and leading up to the event:

• Make some boots to carry in your seat pack. Take an old tire and cut 2-3 sections of varying lengths--1", 2", 3"--and be sure to cut off the beads on each side of the sections. Put these in your saddle pack along with NEW tubes (not patched, not tubes you have been carrying around since 1973) and CO2 cartridges with the appropriate inflator (be sure to check for matching of head to cartridge--threaded v. unthreaded). Be sure you have the proper tire tools for removing a tire as well.

• Know how to change a tire/tube and then PRACTICE removing and changing a tube--including reinstalling a tire WITHOUT a tire tool (using the tool to reinstall invariably pinches the new tube). 

• Install new tires and tubes ASAP. Ride and use all new equipment a minimum of two weeks before the event.

• Check cables, chain wear, cassette wear, secure and tight bolts, BB, etc.

• Consider installing a chain-drop guide.

• Purchase and try out all nutrition choices before the ride multiple times and have an adequate supply set aside for the event day ASAP. Consider that a May 16 event may be quite hot--Do you need a sports drink that addresses cramping? Do you need electrolyte supplements (tablets)? I am always fighting the cramp demon and recommend highly these products, but also the calculators found here can help you determine what drinks and supplement amounts you need:

eLoad: http://www.medioncorp.com/

Nutrition calculators: http://www.medioncorp.com/nutrition-calculators-p136109

• Check your shoes and CLEATS for wear and secure bolts. Replace worn cleats yesterday or ASAP.

• Dedicate a kit for the event. Pack and identify all kit/clothing options you MAY need on event day. The Assaults have begun with temps at 70 degrees at 6:30 am with temps at 100 by the afternoon, and we have started several years in rain/storms with the temps remaining in the 40s and 50s all day. The one thing you must plan on is differences in weather among Spartanburg, Marion, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Mt. Mitchell State Park.

• Prepare your bag of clothing for the top. Include a wide range of clothes to change into (anticipate being COLD at the top) and pack a plastic bag for wet clothing you remove. A small backpack is ideal and be sure to include antibacterial wipes for cleaning up, a towel for drying off, and some emergency foods for post-ride recovery.

Schedule of route postings:

May 1: Intro and "The Start"

http://app.strava.com/segments/634359

May 2: "Pea Ridge"

http://app.strava.com/segments/634365

May 3: "Dangerous Curve"

http://app.strava.com/segments/649096

May 4: "Bills Mt."

http://app.strava.com/segments/373821

May 5: "Tom Johnson Campground"

http://app.strava.com/segments/634363

May 6: "Hwy 80"

http://app.strava.com/segments/648926

May 7: "Blue Ridge Parkway"

http://app.strava.com/segments/649092

(you may also want to include your ride next Saturday!)

May 8: "Mt. Mitchell State Parkway" and "The End"

http://app.strava.com/segments/632888

http://app.strava.com/segments/373855

Paul Thomas, EdD, Associate Professor

Furman University

http://bicyclelust.blogspot.com/

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Uncle Ben was right when he said that (...even if he wasn't the first).

This could be viewed as mechanical power - that which needs a power meter to see - and yeah, that's true in a lot of ways, too (as I will discuss below).  In truth however, we understand Ben to be saying that a person of great strength of character, leadership, and influence has an obligation to illustrate proper and safe behaviors while upholding his or her duties to the betterment of the group as a whole.


I am reminded of a few training rides we have done in the past year in which certain Pro riders have joined us.  The Upstate Winter Bike League had a number of top athletes in the ranks.  Sometimes our weekly rides pull in a few Cat 1 racers.  On occasion, I've visited other cities and joined in their group rides/events - finding strong riders at every level.  In each case, it became evident that there are higher expectations for those riders who have proven themselves in either the sport of racing, in events like the Assaults, or even just the weekly rides.

Note:  This is not a discussion about Ride Leaders (organizers) or about individuals appointed to a leadership role.  However, those jobs are necessarily imbued with social, ethical, and moral responsibility!

Perhaps it is easier to understand how someone earns the respect of the pack - how one goes about "proving oneself" - rather than trying to dissect the image of one who already has, and here we come to the heart of this posting:  With Great Power...

Within the last 2 weeks, I have witnessed both the strength of character and sportsmanship that should be displayed by truly strong and powerful riders.  In those same 2 weeks, I saw he exact opposite on display as well (but I will use a ride from last Fall to illustrate the point).

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Bruce Humphies is a powerful cyclist, and he is an excellent example of a responsible athlete.  When he joins us for our Tuesday night ride, he could easily drop any one of us.  Even working together, our Average-Joe crowd probably couldn't chase Bruce down if he wanted to stay away (in fact, the whole Pro1/2 peloton couldn't bridge the gap when Bruce soloed to victory in the SC State Criterium Championships last week).  On Tuesdays Bruce sits on the front and pulls, and when we enter an "open zone" with a sprint sign at the end, he attacks - but only so hard as to make us all work.  He never leaves the group totally behind - and we all enjoy chasing!  After each zone, he waits until we're all together and ready to start the next bit.

Similarly, when we are "neutral" in between these zones, Bruce goes back to setting pace or sitting in, observing the "rules" set out by either the Ride Leader or the tradition of the ride.  If someone has a flat or machanical, he waits with the rest of us.

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Parker Kyzer is a powerful cyclist.  Though young, he is fast becoming a top athlete in the sport, and it is clear that he understands the responsibility that comes with it.  Last week, a large group of us rode over Bills Mt and back, following the Assaults course.  Again, Parker rode on the front for much of the ride, setting a reasonable pace - and by reasonable, I mean one that allowed for everyone to participate.  It was quick, yes - but not impossible and certainly not racing speeds! 

On the way back a few riders fell in to difficulty.  Some of us were still feeling strong - including Parker - but rather than storming off into the distance, leaving our compatriots to rot in the hot sun, we worked together to come home as a group.  But! In order to make the ride a challenge and get a good workout in... Parker pushed the other cyclists who were in trouble!  (with their permission, of course)

In this way, he wasn't "wasting time" out there on the road.  Both Parker and Bruce do interval training before or after a group ride in which they will be the strongest or fastest guys (which, I surmise, is quite often).  OR they do their intervals on a different day.  They do not do their intervals during a group ride; a major faux pas!

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I was on a group ride last fall, and after a long, casual warm-up, the Ride Leader (Robin Farina) turned back with some of the slower cyclists.  She rode the short loop in order to make sure everyone got home safely.  Despite the fact that she is a Cat 1, Pro athlete, she rode ~35 miles at 16mph that day.

I remained with the "fast group" on the long course, aiming for ~55 miles.  Under the "leadership" of some of the local hammer-heads, the ride quickly devolved into what Chad Andrews calls, a "DS" ride (the second word is "Swinger"... the first, I leave to your imagination).  It was fast and vicious.  At one point, there were only 2 of us left - the rest had been dropped!  Had I not asked for a regroup (and gone back myself), they may never have seen each other again.

Of course, I enjoy racing, and I enjoy the simulation of racing.  What surprised me were the dangerous and selfish actions taken by the guys on the front.  They didn't regroup (despite it being a group training ride).  They didn't stop at traffic signals.  They didn't communicate directions or call out road debris and holes.  Pushing the limits of a group ride, splintering the group, and shattering the peloton every time you go out... is pointless and unhelpful.  Read Paul's blog "the Not-so-good Ol' Days," and my own post "Why We Are Here" for more.

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Some people view themselves as "Leaders" who should not.  Some people view themselves as strong and powerful riders, though they are not.  And in an attempt to illustrate their own self image, they behave poorly

Riding away from a group while the group is "neutral," rolling through stop signs or traffic lights without stopping, failing to regroup at the group's behest, "attacking" (or failing to slow/wait) when others are in difficulty, have a mechanical, are avoiding a dog in the road, or are in some way hampered by road conditions, etc... these actions are unsportsmanlike and shameful.  Doing any of these neither impresses the peloton nor proves the strength of the offender.  In fact, this kind of behavior sets very bad examples and incites dangerous reactions.  Remember, often there are new riders in the pack - and everyone must set a positive examples for the newbies so that they will ride safely and, more importantly, continue to ride.

Like lemmings in spandex, the peloton will blindly follow into self destruction, and it is the duty of those with great power to act with great responsibility!

Please consider all of these points as you ride tomorrow, in the final weeks of Assaults preparations, and in the summer months ahead.

(...and now for the double back-flip, Triple-Lindy, Soapbox Dismount...)

-Peter Kay
http://theAssaults.com
http://TotalCyclist.com

If you are not interested in keeping the group together, then you are not interested in riding with a group.  Don't muck-up a good ride by breaking etiquette and riding selfishly.

Fulfill your dreams and ride solo.

"I've Got the Power"

Thanks to quarq, "I've Got the Power."

Friday night, I did my first ever install of quarq's SRAM-based crank power meter system. And then Saturday, I ventured out on the Assault re-con ride that traveled the first half of the course up and over Bill's Mountain and then back to Spartanburg.

While many of us may wish for one of those mythological Fabian Cancellara motors in our bicycles, power meters are in fact the latest evolution of precise training tools that have trickled down from the pro peloton to weekend warriors and bicycling enthusiasts who now choose to invest in training instead of a new carbon frame or that light wheelset.

Here are a few initial thoughts for anyone considering making the move to power meters:

• First, I broke a Golden Rule of cycling by heading out on a century the morning after a late-night first-time install of a major bicycle component. On the road, the only problem I encountered was my fault: The front shifting was off a bit, but I was able to adjust twice during the ride, and by the end, all was working flawlessly. Don't do it, but having broken the rule leads me to my next point. . . .

• The installation and use of the quarq system was impressively easy and manageable. What is involved? You must remove your existing crank and drive-side bottom bracket cup (to slip on a magnet beneath that cup). Once you install the quarq crank (exactly like existing crank), the brief and clear manual shows you how to sync your power meter with your Garmin device. I own the Garmin 500 (and could rave about the device if you want--highly recommended), and the initial sync and the calibration needed before each ride are quick and easy (when I first heard I needed to calibrate before each ride, I was skeptical; it isn't as complex as it sounds).

• I changed the first page of my Garmin 500 to show current speed, total miles, current power, percent grade, and heart rate. Doing just one ride revealed what people say about power readings: Power is far more accurate than speed or heart rate. Ascents, descents, drafting, and taking pulls are all revealed for what they are--climbs and taking pulls are taxing while descents and drafting save tremendous amounts of effort. The heart-rate fluctuations for the four conditions are minor compared to the power output differences. For precise and purposeful training, power is clearly the gold standard. (While talking to other riders with more experience with power meters than I have, I also learned that displaying and looking at average power output is another key indicator for training.)

• Specific to the Assault route, the power meter confirmed what I already knew from riding the event most years over the past twenty-plus years: Pea Ridge is hard and the bottom half of Bill's Mountain is steep and hard. While many people are intent on riding the Marion to the top of Mitchell as recon, most cyclists would benefit as much (if not even more) from experiencing the first half of the route; many riders can burn too many matches along this challenging section if they aren't purposeful and careful.

• One concern I had about the crank-based power meter was weight, but I found that my Colnago build-up went from about 16.5 lbs to about 17 lbs (using crude scales); if weight is a concern, this small difference can be easily addressed with other components--or a bit of care with the diet.

My next experiment is one I really am looking forward to--the recovery ride. I think this will be the best use of the power meter.

Paul Thomas, EdD, Associate Professor

Furman University

http://bicyclelust.blogspot.com/