Motivation...

Sometimes sources of motivation will just hit you when you least expect it... like in the Sunday paper. Crusing through the Sunday paper I see one of the magazine inserts and wham - there it is. A great layout and photos of local cycling heros like Keith Johnson and Mike Stoop (see picture above) .... so I thought, you know what... I think I want to get out and ride (didn't hurt Emily Joyner had also texted me asking if I wanted to meet her to ride....). So Jeff, Emily and I headed out....



Of course after weeks of great, dry, warm weather, it drizzled on us for the first 90 minutes out and we fought a steady headwind back. But I hadn't trained outside since mid-March and only 5 hours a week on the trainer left me ready for a good ride regardless. We knocked out 70 at a steady 25 so it didn't turn out as bad as I'd been bracing myself for....



So will it be another 4 weeks before I get out again? Will I start actually training? Will I race in the near future? Will I make it in the next edition of the cycling"IT" crowd in Tidewater?



As my daughter says to me (often) - "Daddy, that's crazy talk".....

The Economics of New Sponsorship

New season means new sponsors and teams sporting new uniforms (sorry - I just have trouble saying "kits"). And obviously the new uniforms often are a result of new sponsors. This always makes me question the economic model for a lot of teams and riders. So you bring on new sponsors and as a result make each team member purchase new clothing to display the new sponsor logos. For most team riders this new sponsorship will end up in an expediture of $150 to $500 for new clothing when most have plenty of jerseys, arm warmers, skinsuits, etc. Riders paying to become billboards.... and perhaps get some reimbursement back at the end of the season (very rarely exceeding the clothing costs).

And then there's the JERSEY REDESIGN so people are forced to get new clothing or race in completely different looking clothing from their teammates. The economics of "we picked up 5 new sponsors who contributed $3,500 to the team" so we had to go out and purchase $5,000 worth of uniforms, just doesn't make sense to me. Particularly when it involves an entirely new design. Reminds me of the story Jeff Parker told me about a co-worker when the scratch tickets first game out from VA Lottery. This guy would go out and spend $100 on scratch tickets.... go into the shop and scratch them all off. When he was done he'd throw his hands up and yell "yeah... I won $35!!!".

For our part - we only look for new sponsors when it's time to refresh our jerseys (for new team riders, crash replacement or just can't get wash the funk out any longer) to help offset some of the cost (every 2 - 3 years). And we've kept the same basic design for 15 years - I can race in a new jersey and a teammate can race in a 10 year old jersey and you'd still be able to pick us out as teammates. Better yet - we can order vests and arm warmers one year, jackets another and jerseys and skinsuits yet another and they all match. Yes, retro for sure. But inexpensive too.... and inexpensive is good.....

Snowball # 1 In the Books...

Well not quite yet - results are just about done and soon to be posted. Amazing what good weather, plenty of help (thanks to all our team, Dire Wolf Racing, Tradewinds, Celerity and a few others PLUS the Chesapeake Police who were great), good weather and a good turnout will do for motivation. With so much that's been going on with me personally - I was OVER promoting this race before it started but it turned out well (for a training race in Hampton Roads as Braden pointed out to everyone on the VA Cycling list earlier this month...).

With only 5 to 8 hours a week of indoor trainer time in my legs since Dec I was prepared for the worst - and expecting it (nothing like running registration until the last minute, changing and rolling up to the start line) but I guess there really is something to be said for being rested, REALLY rested. Of course - rested in April will be an entirely different story.

Like the Movie Ground Hog Day....

Another Snowball, another season. Scary how fast the time is flying by..... but it's like the movie Ground Hog Day.... basically the same thing repeating itself year after year. Of course the faces change - in the 20+ years of racing I've seen a lot of riders come and go.... it would be funny to compare a start list at the first Snowball 11 years ago to the start list Sunday - there probably wouldn't be 10 names that over lap.

VA Masters State Championship Crit.... 45 Minutes?

And 80 minutes for the non championship 1,2 race?

Of course with my fitness and training this season 45 minutes might be a blessing.

Balance... Juggling... Multi-tasking

Balance... juggling... multi-tasking - whatever you want to call it. I've raced for over 20 years and it's always been a tight rope act to balance family, work, home (and all the associated upkeep) and training / racing. Essentially in that order although my wife would argue the house comes in behind training / racing. I could sacrifice one to the benefit of another but instead just try and juggle each the best I can.... always accepting that you can't be the best at all 4 (I'll never win the "lawn of month" in my neighborhood, there really is an award....)

So, "this economy".... and one vacation/sick day off since July, ten to twelve hour work days and stress to help keep a small (50 employee) IT company afloat and wham.... the balance is gone. Training and racing.... gone this early season. Family.... they went on a weeklong vacation to Florida.... without me!

Over the last few weeks I've decided to bring the balance back - even traveled to do a few races (after some appreciated emails asking me what was up and if everything was alright) and planning some camping trips with the family.

Balance restored, I hope ....

Some Observations.....

1. In order to upgrade to Cat 3 or above, the requirements should include promoting atleast one Category E or above race (and know what a Cat. E event is).

2. If you plan on competing for the BAR review the current rules.

3. If you are trying to upgrade your racing category, avoid falling within the USAC description of a "marginally qualified rider". That way you don't end up arguing the merits of upgrade points from a Tues. night Bryan Park Crit.

4. If you're training like you're preparing for the tour - race like you're preparing for the tour, or atleast impress us.

5. Being a Cat 5, 4, 3 or 2 doesn't mean you rate a free bike, components or entry fees. And if you're lucky enough to be on a team that provides some of these, provide something in return.

6. What qualifies as a "pro" cyclist? I hear that term thrown out a lot. Do you quit your job, get piercings and tattos, train during the day, drink coffee and hang out in bike shops talking about how your quit your job, got a tatto and trained all day? In most of the 50 states (and a few of the territories) that's just referred to as unemployed.....