Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
IMPORTANT (2010)
I went out and met with a couple of very nice gentlemen from an ATV group here in Southeastern Minnesota. As we stood along the side of the cold, barren stretch of highway I started thinking about just what was lying in store for everyone this year. Here's what I came up with.
What to expect on race day:
FROM THE ROUTE: This is a challenging course. 103 miles is no small task and when you ride them on gravel and they become something entirely different. It is going to punish you, but it is definitely manageable if you pace yourself and understand the big picture (portions of which are laid out below).
• There are two towns along the entire route. One of them is located at the 25-mile mark. The city of St. Charles has everything anyone might need to refuel, call it quits, get a hotel room, etc. The second city is Chatfield and it is located near mile 40. It too has everything a person could need/want to get restocked or quit or sit down for a picnic. These are the only two communities along the entire route with retail outlets that can fill your supply needs. AFTER MILE 40 YOU WILL BE ON YOUR OWN WITH NO PLACE TO REFUEL UNTIL THE FINISH LINE.
• There is cell phone coverage for the better part of the course. The areas that are not covered by cell phone towers are typically the valleys, but if you get to the summit of a climb YOU SHOULD GET CELL PHONE COVERAGE.
• The first 35 miles are made up of rolling hills. The wind will most likely be at your back for the better part of this section and it will feel easy (relatively).
• The next section (about 30 miles) will be hilly…really hilly. There are 5 or 6 very long, steep climbs with equal descents. There will also be a section of ATV trail in this portion that may total nearly 3.5 miles in length. The ATV trail will most likely include a couple of fence crossings and will be extremely difficult (at the very least it will be walkable).
• The “back 40” is going to be windy…very windy. Last year there were gusts up to 42mph with a steady NW wind that registered somewhere in the low to mid 30’s. It will be spring. It WILL be windy. Thankfully, the last 40 miles are relatively flat (hence the wind) so you won’t have to worry about climbing any hills.
• As you re-enter the city you will be traveling on open access city streets, act accordingly. The finish line, like the rest of the course will be held on a public roadway (albeit an extremely low traffic one) so mind the cars and be respectful. A free race (or any race) isn’t worth a crash or dare I say something worse.
FROM YOURSELF: It is best to look at riding 100 miles in one go the same as you would look at running a full marathon. While it is definitely something that the average person could complete without any training, the pain and suffering that would come along with it would not be worth the effort.
• Train.
• Ride a lot. Ride to work. Ride to school. Get out and ride a couple of longer rides during the week. Ride gravel. Ride as much as you can. You will thank yourself when you reach the finish line and can walk and not throw up.
• You will need water…lots of it. I have been a witness to a human being riding this course with only two (2) water bottles (no re-fills). It is possible, but it is definitely not the case with most riders. It is dreadfully important to understand nutrition and hydration before undertaking an event like this. Train to understand. Train to eat on the bike. KNOW YOUR LIMITS and ACT ACCORDINGLY.
• You will need food. The human body is capable of amazing things. However, it is not able to do them without the proper nutrients. Bring food you know you will be able to eat. I have seen everything from pizza to beef jerky to candy bars to mike & ikes. KNOW WHAT WORKS FOR YOU and ACT ACCORDINGLY.
• Know your body. I get cramps when I ride for a long time. Through riding a lot and trying different remedies, I have been able to solve this issue and the cramps no longer occur. Know your body. Five to ten hours on a bike is a long time. Your body will let you know when it has had too much of something and mid-race is not the place to get introduced to each other. The more you ride now, the better off you will be when you are all alone and talking yourself back down from the proverbial ledge (I’ve been there during a race and it sucks, but KNOWLEDGE IS POWER and I’m glad it happened).
• Pace yourself. You have 12 hours to ride 100 miles. Sure it’s gravel. Sure it’s hilly, but it isn’t impossible. Go as hard as you like, but if you do not know your body and your bike, you may end up in the “hurt locker” before you’re ready and that sucks...trust me.
FROM THE VOLUNTEERS & ME: We are your hosts. Imagine this event like a giant group ride, complete with town line sprints and king of the mountain challenges. I have invited you all here, to start from the shop that I work at and ride a route that I have found to be amazing.
• I will give you directions that I have found to work the best and send you on your way.
• I will not be there at every turn to make sure you are headed in the right direction, nor will any of my volunteers.
• I will not close roads and arrange for the appropriate law enforcement agencies to police the course and ensure your safety, nor will any of my volunteers.
• I will not cater to you because “you are the fastest and you are in the lead”, nor will any of my volunteers. We will take every measure to ensure that the check-in and checkout process at the mid-way point is thorough and efficient, but we are humans. (I’ll touch on this again as the race gets closer)
• There will not be any electric timing devices (other than a stopwatch) used by myself or by my volunteers throughout the course of this event. Please do not dispute the times given by myself or by my volunteers. We promise to do the best we can with what we have. (I’ll touch on this again as the race gets closer)
• I will be at the start to ride everyone out of town and I will be at the finish to welcome you back. I am happy that you have decided to come and give the Almanzo 100 a try and I promise to make every attempt to make sure that your experience here in Rochester and Southeastern Minnesota is a pleasant one.
• I will not provide you a water/aid station at any point during the event and neither will my volunteers. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN and should ACT ACCORDINGLY.
• I will not come get you if you become stranded and neither will any of my volunteers. You must be prepared for the unlikely event that you should have to abandon the race. You must make your own arrangements for leaving the course should you become stranded. NO ONE IS COMING TO GET YOU UNLESS YOU’VE ARRANGED FOR IT.
FROM YOUR FELLOW RIDERS: During the race you will be riding with 440 other people that have the same basic things in common.
• If you see someone stopped on the side of the road, ask if they “HAVE EVERYTHING?” If not, please stop and offer assistance. You may have an extra tube or some water or some food that might make the difference in someone finishing or not. It is common courtesy. If I hear that anyone neglected to help a fellow rider, I will have no problem calling that person out. Don’t be an ass and you’ve got nothing to worry about.
• Ride smart and expect the same from others. Group riding is much different than riding alone. If you find yourself in the peloton, please ride with care and be alert. The easiest place to crash is in the peloton and it is often times the worst place to crash. If you are not comfortable riding elbow to elbow with other racers, either ride off the front or off the back, but don’t risk injury to yourself and others by riding in the group when you are not capable or comfortable.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Have fun. This is intended to be a fun, but extremely challenging event. We have the perfect opportunity to represent the cycling world at large. We will be traveling through areas that rarely see this kind of bicycle traffic and we may startle some of the inhabitants there.
• PLEASE BE POLITE AND RESPECTFUL.
• DO NOT LITTER.
• OBEY THE TRAFFIC LAWS.
• YIELD TO AUTOMOBILES.
• DON’T BE AN IDIOT AND THE WORLD WILL BE A BETTER PLACE FOR IT. More people on bikes is a great thing and riding like a douche bag with no consideration for others is the easiest way to keep any non-rider from wanting to get on a bike.
• BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE SPORT. We have one chance this May to get it done right here in Southeastern Minnesota and it would be a shame to blow it.
What to expect on race day:
FROM THE ROUTE: This is a challenging course. 103 miles is no small task and when you ride them on gravel and they become something entirely different. It is going to punish you, but it is definitely manageable if you pace yourself and understand the big picture (portions of which are laid out below).
• There are two towns along the entire route. One of them is located at the 25-mile mark. The city of St. Charles has everything anyone might need to refuel, call it quits, get a hotel room, etc. The second city is Chatfield and it is located near mile 40. It too has everything a person could need/want to get restocked or quit or sit down for a picnic. These are the only two communities along the entire route with retail outlets that can fill your supply needs. AFTER MILE 40 YOU WILL BE ON YOUR OWN WITH NO PLACE TO REFUEL UNTIL THE FINISH LINE.
• There is cell phone coverage for the better part of the course. The areas that are not covered by cell phone towers are typically the valleys, but if you get to the summit of a climb YOU SHOULD GET CELL PHONE COVERAGE.
• The first 35 miles are made up of rolling hills. The wind will most likely be at your back for the better part of this section and it will feel easy (relatively).
• The next section (about 30 miles) will be hilly…really hilly. There are 5 or 6 very long, steep climbs with equal descents. There will also be a section of ATV trail in this portion that may total nearly 3.5 miles in length. The ATV trail will most likely include a couple of fence crossings and will be extremely difficult (at the very least it will be walkable).
• The “back 40” is going to be windy…very windy. Last year there were gusts up to 42mph with a steady NW wind that registered somewhere in the low to mid 30’s. It will be spring. It WILL be windy. Thankfully, the last 40 miles are relatively flat (hence the wind) so you won’t have to worry about climbing any hills.
• As you re-enter the city you will be traveling on open access city streets, act accordingly. The finish line, like the rest of the course will be held on a public roadway (albeit an extremely low traffic one) so mind the cars and be respectful. A free race (or any race) isn’t worth a crash or dare I say something worse.
FROM YOURSELF: It is best to look at riding 100 miles in one go the same as you would look at running a full marathon. While it is definitely something that the average person could complete without any training, the pain and suffering that would come along with it would not be worth the effort.
• Train.
• Ride a lot. Ride to work. Ride to school. Get out and ride a couple of longer rides during the week. Ride gravel. Ride as much as you can. You will thank yourself when you reach the finish line and can walk and not throw up.
• You will need water…lots of it. I have been a witness to a human being riding this course with only two (2) water bottles (no re-fills). It is possible, but it is definitely not the case with most riders. It is dreadfully important to understand nutrition and hydration before undertaking an event like this. Train to understand. Train to eat on the bike. KNOW YOUR LIMITS and ACT ACCORDINGLY.
• You will need food. The human body is capable of amazing things. However, it is not able to do them without the proper nutrients. Bring food you know you will be able to eat. I have seen everything from pizza to beef jerky to candy bars to mike & ikes. KNOW WHAT WORKS FOR YOU and ACT ACCORDINGLY.
• Know your body. I get cramps when I ride for a long time. Through riding a lot and trying different remedies, I have been able to solve this issue and the cramps no longer occur. Know your body. Five to ten hours on a bike is a long time. Your body will let you know when it has had too much of something and mid-race is not the place to get introduced to each other. The more you ride now, the better off you will be when you are all alone and talking yourself back down from the proverbial ledge (I’ve been there during a race and it sucks, but KNOWLEDGE IS POWER and I’m glad it happened).
• Pace yourself. You have 12 hours to ride 100 miles. Sure it’s gravel. Sure it’s hilly, but it isn’t impossible. Go as hard as you like, but if you do not know your body and your bike, you may end up in the “hurt locker” before you’re ready and that sucks...trust me.
FROM THE VOLUNTEERS & ME: We are your hosts. Imagine this event like a giant group ride, complete with town line sprints and king of the mountain challenges. I have invited you all here, to start from the shop that I work at and ride a route that I have found to be amazing.
• I will give you directions that I have found to work the best and send you on your way.
• I will not be there at every turn to make sure you are headed in the right direction, nor will any of my volunteers.
• I will not close roads and arrange for the appropriate law enforcement agencies to police the course and ensure your safety, nor will any of my volunteers.
• I will not cater to you because “you are the fastest and you are in the lead”, nor will any of my volunteers. We will take every measure to ensure that the check-in and checkout process at the mid-way point is thorough and efficient, but we are humans. (I’ll touch on this again as the race gets closer)
• There will not be any electric timing devices (other than a stopwatch) used by myself or by my volunteers throughout the course of this event. Please do not dispute the times given by myself or by my volunteers. We promise to do the best we can with what we have. (I’ll touch on this again as the race gets closer)
• I will be at the start to ride everyone out of town and I will be at the finish to welcome you back. I am happy that you have decided to come and give the Almanzo 100 a try and I promise to make every attempt to make sure that your experience here in Rochester and Southeastern Minnesota is a pleasant one.
• I will not provide you a water/aid station at any point during the event and neither will my volunteers. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN and should ACT ACCORDINGLY.
• I will not come get you if you become stranded and neither will any of my volunteers. You must be prepared for the unlikely event that you should have to abandon the race. You must make your own arrangements for leaving the course should you become stranded. NO ONE IS COMING TO GET YOU UNLESS YOU’VE ARRANGED FOR IT.
FROM YOUR FELLOW RIDERS: During the race you will be riding with 440 other people that have the same basic things in common.
• If you see someone stopped on the side of the road, ask if they “HAVE EVERYTHING?” If not, please stop and offer assistance. You may have an extra tube or some water or some food that might make the difference in someone finishing or not. It is common courtesy. If I hear that anyone neglected to help a fellow rider, I will have no problem calling that person out. Don’t be an ass and you’ve got nothing to worry about.
• Ride smart and expect the same from others. Group riding is much different than riding alone. If you find yourself in the peloton, please ride with care and be alert. The easiest place to crash is in the peloton and it is often times the worst place to crash. If you are not comfortable riding elbow to elbow with other racers, either ride off the front or off the back, but don’t risk injury to yourself and others by riding in the group when you are not capable or comfortable.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Have fun. This is intended to be a fun, but extremely challenging event. We have the perfect opportunity to represent the cycling world at large. We will be traveling through areas that rarely see this kind of bicycle traffic and we may startle some of the inhabitants there.
• PLEASE BE POLITE AND RESPECTFUL.
• DO NOT LITTER.
• OBEY THE TRAFFIC LAWS.
• YIELD TO AUTOMOBILES.
• DON’T BE AN IDIOT AND THE WORLD WILL BE A BETTER PLACE FOR IT. More people on bikes is a great thing and riding like a douche bag with no consideration for others is the easiest way to keep any non-rider from wanting to get on a bike.
• BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE SPORT. We have one chance this May to get it done right here in Southeastern Minnesota and it would be a shame to blow it.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
A Rough Schedule
Planning your approach? I am. Here is what I have so far (and some of this could change):
Friday the 14th (Not Race Day).
2-4pm: Pre-registration and sign-in at Bicycle Sports
5-9pm: Pre-registration and sign-in at Kathy's Pub
Saturday the 15th (Race Day).
Before
5:30-7:30am: Remaining pre-reg and sign-in at Bicycle Sports
7:30-7:45am: Pre-race announcements
7:45-7:59am: Line up
7:59-8:00am: Start
After
8:00-????pm: Close up the whole deal. Have a beer/ice water. Pass out.
I'm working on getting some room deals at a couple of hotels near by and I'll have info about camping in the next couple of days.
Friday the 14th (Not Race Day).
2-4pm: Pre-registration and sign-in at Bicycle Sports
5-9pm: Pre-registration and sign-in at Kathy's Pub
Saturday the 15th (Race Day).
Before
5:30-7:30am: Remaining pre-reg and sign-in at Bicycle Sports
7:30-7:45am: Pre-race announcements
7:45-7:59am: Line up
7:59-8:00am: Start
After
8:00-????pm: Close up the whole deal. Have a beer/ice water. Pass out.
I'm working on getting some room deals at a couple of hotels near by and I'll have info about camping in the next couple of days.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
THE JERSEY (2010)
Here's the deal for 2010. In order to get the first round of jerseys by race day, I am going to have to put in an order by the 20th of February. That means that I am going to have to have commitment money from anybody who is interested. The final cost for the full zipper, club cut, three pocket jersey is going to be $70. If you could please make your payment via the "Donate" button on the right with a note attached marking the size you need (see below) I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who has shown interest and I'll see you all in May (if not before).
Sizing info:
Mens Chest Size - 36(XS), 38(S), 40(M), 42(L), 44(XL), 46(XXL), 48(XXXL)
Womens Chest (inches) - 30(XS), 32(S), 34(M), 36-38(L), 40(XL), 42(XXL)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thoughts
A person on a bike is a person on bike. All cycling is good, no matter the time, place or group. Proost!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
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