Getting Ready for Gran Fondo Leavenworth 2018

Two weeks to Gran Fondo Leavenworth! I'm looking forward being out on the gravel, being focused and having fun.  This will be my third GFL outing (previous reports: GFL 2016 and GFL 2017).

Last year I ran over a rock (ha), flattened my back rim, and punctured just outside of Entait on highway 97.  Then, after the Swakane Canyon climb on the way down, I lost air in my front wheel and fell - I'm hoping for better luck this time around!!

I built a new front wheel for the Supercourse - the rim was getting a bit too thin; moreover, the bearings on the 25-year old hub were wearing out. I can no longer find a good balance between tight enough and not too tight - the front hub was just getting a bit too loose.

I also built a new back wheel because in the winter, during cold-weather riding, the pawls in the back hub stopped releasing from time to time, which is no fun at all. I think the problem was related to the cold. I haven't had problems with it recently; still, I thought it best to build a new one. And, well, building wheels is fun.

These are #9 and #10, since I started this project three years ago, and they came together beautifully. I can't say enough about Roger Musson excellent book on wheel building - some people are just extraordinary teachers and craftsmen. 

I've installed Compass Bon Jon Pass 35 mm tires on DT Swiss R460 rims. I'm running these tires in tubeless mode.  Yes! That combination of tire and rim works beautifully in tubeless mode.

This set-up, with about 40 psi in the back and 37 psi in the front, worked pretty well at Gran Fondo Winthrop in 2017. I might use a bit more air pressure for GFL - 40 psi feels a bit soft and squirely on the road. I've not been stopping during these rides to change air pressure but perhaps I should.

I've also given the Supercourse a drive train update: new chain-rings (34T and 48T), 7-speed cassette (12-32T), chain, and back derailleur. Hopefully things will be fairly smooth and reliable.

I've noticed that the new back derailleur, a Shimano RD-M310 Altus GS 7/8-speed Rear Der Black,Long Cage ($15.00), has a new personality, which requires slightly different shifting technique.  And, alas, on big bumps it seems to shift up by itself - I'll need to explore that further.  But, the shifter works for 34 x 14T, which gives me a new gear.  That's nice - another area for exploring. 

Except for getting the flu (week 12), which kept me off the bike for 10 days, and took another 2 weeks of recovery time (a nasty cough wouldn't go away), my training has been quite good. Good consistency, with more or less 2 hard weeks followed by a recovery week. I've ridden about 210 hours this year.

I've been eating nutrient rich food (ha) and trying to say away from sugar, not always successfully. Eating "properly" certainly helps with recovery and slowly but surely my weight has dropped over the last 20 weeks, much like in previous years.

I've been working on very hard threshold workouts. Since January, I've been doing a weekly workout on my rollers, working up to being able to do 4 x (20 min HARD + 4 min EASY). My threshold is about 161 - so, I get into the range of 158 - 162 and hold that heart rate for 20 min. Then, I get a 4 min. recovery.  Then, repeat.

Doing two such intervals was fairly doable last year. Working up to being able to do four has been quite the challenge, but is now quite doable. That's not to say they are easy. Nope.  Far from it.  The first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes are always hard, often very hard, no matter if its the first, second, third, or forth effort - relax a bit and stop focussing and my heart rate drops fast.

Interval #4 puts me in a kind of dark place - perhaps, its a bit too much. I basically fear it and when I start out I'm uncertain if I will finish. I try to focus on smooth peddling and play psychological games - hold the effort for 5 minutes, okay that's done, only ten minutes to go, so stay smooth, okay just eight minutes to go - got this, etc. A lot of it just seems to be psychological - embrace the discomfort and stay with the smooth peddling and look at the clock every 20 seconds (ha). The next developmental step will be to work toward 3 x (30 min HARD + 4 min. EASY). That will have to wait until after GFL.

Over the weeks, the efforts have become more controlled, with smoother and faster peddling and/or with bigger gears. I've read somewhere that the key to such workouts might be consistency - developing the physiology to handle these workouts takes takes time and consistent work. That said, my goal was to incorporate a mix of these kinds of workouts with V02 Max workouts but I haven't found a good pattern for doing that and, so I haven't done any training in Zone #5 this year (unlike last year where I did a regular V02 Max workout each week but not a threshold workout.)

Hopefully, these highly controlled theshold workouts, even without V02 Max efforts, paired with long easy rides in Zone 1 and Zone 2, and a lot of consistency over the last five months, will give me a good aerobic engine.

Over the last two weeks, with the goal of consolidating my form, I've done three very difficult sessions, where I've spent substantial time "sweet-spotting" (high zone 3 / low zone 4).  Staying at a heart rate of 147-153 for almost two straight hours, for example, was very, very difficult.  Until this past couple of weeks, I am almost never in this heart rate range.

Hopefully, all of this work will give me the physiological capacity to do well on the climbs, recover well on the downhills, and manage the distance at GFL. We'll see soon enough.

For the next two weeks, I'll taper, do a couple of short, hard sessions and some easy riding, aiming for about 8-10 hours next week and 4-5 hours during the week of GFL.

Looking forward to riding with focus and care!

The plan:

1. Ride the first 10 miles such that I don't take any wind. Hopefully, it will be a fairly relaxed start like the last two years. 
2. Ride the gravel climb steady, not too fast, at my own pace.
3. Once under the hydro lines, ride hard to the top and keep riding hard over the flat part. Then, eat and drink.
4. Ride conservatively downhill - watch out for cars, etc. At the bottom, eat and drink. 
5. Hopefully, join up with a group in the valley and work together, saving as much as possible. 
6. Once in Swakane Canyon, focus on efficient peddling, no matter the surface, the bumps, the little hills and flats, the loose rocks, the rocks that don't move, the ruts, the mud. Maintaining momentum on this climb is really hard. Shift the gears and peddle well to keep the momentum going. Ride hard up and over the flat part. 
7. Take the downhill conservatively; manage the risks and the rough terrain.
8. Ride hard to the finish, being very careful at the two left turns, which hold a good deal of risk when riding cross-eyed.

It is good to know that exercise can keep aging muscles and immune systems 'young'!

Gran Fondo Leavenworth 2017: Ride Report

GFL 2017 was terrific.  A great day to be out riding. Sunny and warm all the way! (GFL 2016: report.)

The beginning was a "neutral start" (its not a race, of course). We rode out to Eagle Creek road (112), with Jake driving a moto. This was followed by a steady ride up to the start of gravel at Van Creek (NS 7520).  At that point all was well. I was warmed up and feeling relaxed and enjoying the day.  Segment #1 finished (12 miles).

On the gravel, I found a good gear and just relaxed. As the climb steepened, the group spread out. I kept at it - the sensations were good. Frequently, I found solid sand at the side of the road that was smooth and seemed to roll better than the middle of the road on the car tracks. Once at the top, I slowed a little to eat two rice cakes and drink a bottle. There were a couple of patches of snow, one of which I had to run through. All continued to be well. Segment #2 finished (18 miles done; about 3,000 ft climbed, from about 1,044 ft. to 4,100 ft.).

The downhill was fast and quite smooth. Two riders went went by me, one at tremendous speed. Wow! I went by the first aid station. No stopping. I had lost my empty bottle on the way down (bummer) and my other bottle was 1/2 full.  Segment #3 finished (25 miles done).

I kept riding. Shortly after eating another rice cake and finishing my second bottle, Brig Seidel and, I think, David Visser came up to me.  The three of us worked together, taking 30 sec. turns. We turned right at Ardinvoir and went down the valley on 19 toward Entait.  We were making good progress and were getting closer and closer to a group head of us.  Just as we made contact with that group, a group of four or five riders came up to us.  So, as a group of 12 or so we arrived at Entait. Segment #4 finished (39 miles done).

Brig Seidel gives a lively and fun account of this ride from Ardinvoir to Entail - and, indeed, for the whole tremendous ride!

I drank a bottle of water. Filled my bottle with water and put a small bottle of Gatorade into my pocket. And, I took off along 97.  Shortly thereafter the group of 12 or so re-formed on 97. At this point, I was extremely happy since I wouldn't be fighting the wind alone and I was in a group of riders which, of course, is awesome!

But, alas, stuff happens. As we were riding on 97, I noticed a good number of rocks. Some were fairly big. All were ugly. We were, being polite riders, pointing them out to each other. Last year I recalled seeing them too.

While I was acutely alert to the danger, I somehow managed to run over a rock on my back wheel.  I didn't see the rock. But, I did feel and hear it. Where did that come from?  There was a tremendous bang and the tire was flat almost immediately. Bad luck or what!

My guess was that I had slashed the tire and that my day was over at about mile 43. I stopped peddling and kept my hands off the breaks. The riders went by me and off into the distance.  Fortunately, I was able to control the bike and not cause anyone near me too much trouble.

I stopped, got out a tube, blew up the tire. That worked. I noticed that the wheel was still true.  That was good.  Just as I was finishing up, a group of three riders went by me.  I jumped back on the bike and started riding hard. After about five minutes or so I got up to the group. This fairly short effort was by far the hardest all day. And, all was well again because I was able to comfortably ride with this group, taking turns along 97.

We got to Swakane Rd. and I started big climb #2 - the infamous Swakane Canyon; my first time up.  I tried to get into a solid pace. The terrain was highly varied, from hard rocky rocks, to sandy bits and pieces, to loose rocky rocks, with flat sections and ups and downs. I found it quite hard to get into a rhythm. And, I found myself grinding on some of the steep pitches and lallygagging on the flatter parts. I felt good but where was my rhythm?  I have a lot more to learn about riding that kind of road.

I made good progress. I got to the aid station and filled my bottle, and I kept going.  I had passed perhaps five people on the way up and I was passed by one rider.  Then, towards to the top I went by Brig. I checked in and he said that he was "good."  From the aid station onward, I found it extremely difficult to keep the momentum going - each up and down seemed to sap energy and there were a couple of short climbs that seemed very, very steep.  Anyway, I made it to mile 64 or so (big climb #2, segment #6, about 3,000 ft done, from about 730 ft to 4,000 ft.).

I started riding downhill. Not knowing what was ahead, I rode conservatively. Yet, I went around a corner and my front wheel came out from under me! I was on the ground on my right side before I knew what had happened. Bummer.

I think I landed on my shoulder first, then my head took some energy (thank you helmet). I think my hands were still on the bars when I landed, since both brake handles were messed up. I got up and checked things out.  My arm and shoulder seemed to be scrapped and the bone below my ribcage was throbbing.  Generally, the muscles on my side sore but my legs, back, head, hands (thank you gloves), and left side were okay.  My jersey was not ripped and generally, all and all, I felt pretty good.  So, I banged the brake handles back into place and continued.

And, wouldn't you know, I almost ate it on the next corner.  What was going on?  It took a few more minutes, but I figured it out - my front tire was soft! I couldn't turn because it didn't have much air in it. Bummer.  I pumped up my tire (alas, I lost my other cylinder of compressed air somehow).

I continued. At about this point Brig passed me, saying "I'm on your left.  Hmm. Actually, I'm on your right. Everything okay?"  I said "yup - just great!"

I continued. I think I realized that this was not going work. Yet, I also wanted to save the day and ride as best as possible.  However, I found it extremely hard to control the bike and I started to use my back brake - which wasn't working so well since I sensed a big bump on the rim! More on that later.

It was disappointing to see riders zoom past me. And, I felt envious. Still, I wasn't banged up too bad and I was coasting. That would have to be good enough.

So, anyways, I stopped several times to pump up the tire. I got out of the twisty downhill part and onto some better quality smooth gravel when, alas, I got a flat on my back tire. So, I stopped and replaced the back tube with my second (and final) tube and I pumped up my font tire again.

Jake stopped with his moto and asked if I needed anything.  I said "nah - everything is great!" Which, to be honest, was more or less true! At this point, I decided: Let's call it a ride and get back to the finish safely.

So, from about mile 66 to finish at mile 80 I road, basically, on a flat front tire. I thought about stopping to patch my second tube. I brought a patch kit but decided that perhaps limping back slowly and stopping from time to time to pump up the tire would work okay. Alas, it would have been better to stop and patch the tube and then continue. I think I would have given myself more style points for stopping and patching. Patching the tube would probably, actually, have been quite enjoyable in the nice weather. A woulda, shoulda, coulda situation. (Over the last 14 miles or so, Brig was about 40 minutes faster than me!  Here are the results.)

All in all that was great day!  Glad to be alive. And, glad to have worked the circumstances as best I could. My fitness was good and I felt good on the bike and it was wonderful being out in the countryside near Leavenworth with all the other riders. I enjoyed the snow, the little streams here and there, the sounds and smells of Swakane Canyon. I particularly enjoyed riding with Brig and David down to Entait. I'm lucky to be able to participate with such skilled and fit riders.

So what did that rock do to my back wheel? Have a look.

Gran Fondo Leavenworth rim damage. I hit a rock at about mile 43.

From the outside it deformed the rim inwardly (see left side of the figure).  With the tire off, notice how the rock crushed the rim downwards such that there is no longer a shelf for the bead of the tire to fit to the rim (see right side of figure). No wonder the tire lost air quickly - the integrity of the interface between the tire bead and the rim was completely destroyed by the rock. No bending that back into place.

Interestingly, too, that the damage is right beside the valve hole, a coincidence, I assume.  The Compass Bon Jon Pass tire does not seem to have been damaged!

With Gran Fondo Ellensburg coming up, I need a new wheel.  I had a rim. So, following Roger Musson's superb book, I build a new wheel. I kept everything the same except for the new rim. The spokes should be fine. They had been worn into the hub so, according to Roger, no need to mess with them.

To do this I taped the new rim to the old rim. I then went around, moving the spokes from the old rim the new one, carefully oiling the spoke holes and the ends of the spokes.

New wheel for Gran Fondo Ellensburg. Good-bye old friend; hello new friend. Note: Those circles on the green tape tell me where the valve hole is which is always a good thing to know.  

To the left in the figure, you can see that I have one more spoke to move over to the new rim. Thank you Roger Musson for this excellent technique. The spokes won't even know they are connected to a new rim, which can only be a good thing!

Once the new rim was laced I got out my nipple driver and got to work.  I focussed really hard on radial trueness by being as precise as possible with the nipple driver and my spoke wrench.  Based on prior experience with these spokes and rim, once the nipple driver disengaged I loosened the spoke one full turn. That enabled me to lace all the spokes while also keeping them relatively loose which makes dishing the wheel and everything else easier.

The wheel turned out great. I've pre-compressed the spokes and tried really hard to avoid spoke wind-up. But, we will see. When I ride the wheel there shouldn't be any pings. But, we will see.

I need to get some new tape. And, I'll get a new valve stem. Then, I'll be ready to give the wheel a whirl. First I'll ride a short distance slowly.  Then, I'll jump up and down on the bike for while. I'll ride a few miles and work my way up to some very hard braking on gravel. Hopefully, the wheel will react like the old one - solid.  More to come ...

Good to be building wheels. Good to be learning how to ride. Good to be alive. And, looking forward to Gran Fondo Ellensburg.

Thank you Vicious Cycle for a great ride at GFL and, generally, for all the bicycle awesomeness!!

Gran Fondo Winthrop 2016: Getting Ready: Part II

Gran Fondo Winthrop Course Profile

Gran Fondo Winthrop is the last of my riding goals for 2016. Looking forward to a great day in a beautiful landscape. As I think about the ride, and based on last year's experience, I've divided it into the following segments.  Perhaps, under 7 hours is possible, though everything will have to go well, that is, very, very well. Assuming reasonable weather, here's the plan: 

Eat breakfast at 6:30 AM. Drink a Gatorade at 7:45 AM. Go at 8:00!! Ride Hard. Ride Polite. Be Alive. 

#1: Warmup (8.6 miles, + 613 ft. of climbing) – Stay toward the front and don’t take any wind. If people start fast and gaps open up, be patient, stay the course, and let someone else close them. Last year the initial pace put me above threshold a couple of times, which, with the jumping and slowing, was counter productive. If possible, I would like to avoid that. Eat a rice cake, before climb #1.

Part of the "Warmup" Segment: A Little Too Fast for Me in 2015, But Nice Views. From Vicious Cycle Facebook.

#2: Climb #1 (14.0 miles, + 4,143 ft.) – Ride gently and stay below threshold; try to form a group and work together (not likely feasible). Or, if feeling particularly good, hang on to a strong group, and get closer to threshold. In any case, try to avoid time trialing on my own. I'm probably dreaming because last year the group separated quite quickly into individuals working alone, at least that was my experience. At the aid station, stop for one bottle. 

#3: Up and down (10 miles, about +1,200 ft.) – Try to ride the two "small" climbs hard, at threshold; Recover with care on the short downhills; Eat lunch (rice cake and bar and Gatorade) after the first downhill, on the first flat bit. 

#4: Downhill #1 (16.0 miles, -4,462 ft.) – Ride conservatively; Avoid scary moments; Be especially careful on the pavement, where potholes lurk and speeds will be fast - I'm guessing 35-40 mph or a little faster. The speed will be fine but be ready for cars, deer, rocks, crappy asphalt, and so on and so forth. Just prior to the aid station, eat a bar, stop, and get a banana and fill two bottles. 

#5: Climb #2 (17.2 miles, +4,069 ft.) – If feeling good, get to a little below threshold and try to push limits as the climb unfolds; Stay optimistic, be focussed, and enjoy the views. Before the hard part starts, consume some caffeine; at the top, consume some more caffeine. 

#6: Downhill #2 (24.2 miles, -4,602 ft.) – Ride conservatively, especially in the middle section. But, try to find a speed that makes the washboard go away. Be very careful as the gravel turns to pavement and on the rough pavement that follows. Focus on a hard steady finish. Don't worry about the little hills which will make things painful, as they will come and go quickly; the finishline will come. 

I think I'm ready. The training over the last three weeks has gone well. After my summer break in August, my plan was to do two hard weeks, then do a recovery week, and make the last week very easy. In other words, a big break, two weeks of hard training, and two weeks of taper. 

Over the last three weeks, I got in 45 hours: 16.0 + 20.0 + 9.0 hours. The longer riders were:  6:15 and 6:45 hours, mostly in Zone 2.  After these long rides I did 3 hour recovery rides in Zone 1, thinking that the back-to-back long riders would be helpful. On my recovery week (week #3), I did a 2:45 hour ride at varied efforts and took two days off. 

I did the following interval workouts: (1) 2 x 20 min. threshold, (2) 2:00 hour fartleck, (3) 4 x (8 min. Zone 5 + 4 min. Zone 1), (4) fast spinning session, and (5) 5 x (8 min. in Zone 5 + 4 min. Zone 1). 

The rest of the time was spend mostly in Zone 1/2. 

My weight is good (151 lb.) and my resting hear rate has dropped during the recovery week.  So, I should be good to go! 

Tires, tires, tires. Unfortunately, my tubeless tire situation has been a pain in the ass. I've had trouble getting a reliable set-up. The 38c Specialized Trigger on the front wasn't holding air well. So, I replaced the tape and tried again. That worked and now its holding air well.  Ya!! 

The 33c Specialized Trigger on the back was leaking. So, I replaced the tape but when I pumped it up a bunch of sealant poured out of a fairly small hole on the center of the tread and the tire would not hold air - it would deflate to about 20 psi and then stay there.  So, I tried another tire. That held air great but when out on a ride I must have hit a rock and the sidewall got cut and sealant spewed out. Again, the tire held air but only about 30 psi and I could push on the cut and cause the sealant to come away and create a nice big leak. Meanwhile, my tire valve seemed a bit wonky - that is, when I initially opened the value air would came out.  Perhaps air was leaking at the valve. So, I installed a new 33c Specialized Trigger tire and new valve on the back. All seems good now, at least after 2 hour and 45  on hilly and varied gravel. Fingers crossed. 

Conclusion:  I believe the  38c Specialized Trigger to be a much better tire than the 33c for my purposes. Actually, I have learned that they are completely different tires. Second, I'm hopeful that my back tire will hang in there for Gran Fondo Winthrop.  But, I'm not using the 33c tires again! I need to find a new tire that works for my wheels and frame. This might be it for next year: Clement X'Plor MSO Tubeless (36 mm). 

Gran Fondo Ellensburg 2016, Part II

This year's Vicious Cycle Gran Fondo Ellensburg was terrific. Just like last year! Clear skies. Excellent temperatures. Not much wind. By elegant course design, the rhythm of the ride is beautiful. Great organization. And, the end-of-the-day vegetarian burritos and chocolate milk were very satisfying. It was great to be among so many fit and skillful riders and to have an opportunity to focus and ride hard. 

The Raleigh Super Course - After Gran Fondo Ellensburg 2016 

Leaving a 4:50 AM, after a bowl of cold oatmeal, yogurt, a banana, peanut butter & honey toast, and coffee, the drive from Bothell to Ellensburg in the old green Saturn was relaxing. West of Snoqualmie Pass, I encountered some mist and clouds, and then it became sunny just beyond Keechelus Lake. 

The landscape in the Kittitas Valley and the view from the Indian John Hill overlooking the Yakami River was stunning - brown, dry, but also seemingly green and verdant, mountains with snow, and the Yakami river. How is it that landscapes can be so psychologically impactful? 

My thoughts turn to why is this hill called "Indian John?" And, how did this landscape shape human experience three-hundred years ago and how did human beings use and change the landscape? Today, irrigation canals seem to defy gravity and criss-cross the landscape. In 25-50 years will water be flowing in these canals? 

I'm grateful to be able to visit and experience a little of this landscape on my bike. 

Gran Fondo Ellensburg Profile (see course map).

My memory for the ride is foggy, mostly, I think, because I was in focus mode. The rhythm of the ride was precisely like last year (see previous post). For the first 30 miles I stayed in the group, trying not to take any wind and trying to be safe and polite. Then, came the big hill (about 6 miles at an average of about 8.5%). I rode at my limit, if a little too hard at the beginning. After the big climb, riding along the ridge was utterly beautiful, with lovely views of the Cascades.

Working the Super Course on the big hill in a 34x32T. From Vicious Cycle on Facebook.

I recovered quite well on the way down. At the bottom of the first major downhill - just before the climb up to the gate - the road veers left and there is a bit of a creek bed among some trees. Like last year, I almost ate it in one of the two huge potholes that I saw. I barely dodged the first pothole and somehow jumped the second. For next year, I must remember to go slower on this part of the ride. 

The downhill to the second gate was all good (around mile 46 I think). The tires were good and I was able to control the bicycle quite well. 

Then, 5-10 minutes later, bad luck struck. I was going fast on fairly smooth gravel but unfortunately I hit something big - probably a rock - and my front tubeless tire started to hiss madly. Not a welcomed sound. I kept riding. After 100 meters, the tire got to the point where there wasn't much air. I could no longer corner safely. So, I stopped pulled out the valve stem and put in a tube. As I was doing so, six or seven riders went by. I appreciated when some of them asked if I was okay. 

This unfortunate flat tire is a bit mysterious. I'll have more to say about it in a later post because I think I learned something new. 

I got going again and tried to get back into a rhythm. The washboard and corners to aid station #2 were difficult, as expected, but I negotiated these downhills safely. My chain fell off at least three times but I was able to flip it back into place. I suppose this is one of the advantages of friction shifters! Adam VanDyke flew by me on one of these corners and I marveled at his fast and secure line in and out of the corner. I filled two bottles and started up hill #2. I was able to ride the climb - loose gravel and all - strongly and took the long twisty downhill conservatively, passing David Delfs at perhaps 1/3 of the way down. 

Once on the pavement I felt good and I tried to find a hard but doable pace. With perhaps 18 miles to go, David Delfs and Frank Colich came up to me. Frank got us organized, and we worked well together, taking 30 second turns, until the finish. Like last year, the wind was generally behind us and from time to time I needed the 48x12T (my hardest gear). Just like Leavenworth, Frank out-sprinted me at the finish! 

I really appreciated being with Frank and David for the final stretch. It was extremely satisfying to ride hard and efficiently together with such strong and skillful riders. (Frank was one of the riders that had passed me earlier when I was fixing my flat. Unfortunately, later in the ride, somewhere after my flat, he was slowed by a fall and had a nasty-looking cut to his arm.) 

I finished in 5:42:50 about 5% behind the winner, Stephen Mull, who came in with a time of 5:26:01. Here are the Results. How much time did I lose with the flat tire? It is hard to know.

So, all goals met for Gran Fondo Ellensburg. Except for the flat tire, the Super Course did well. I had decent gearing on the climbs. The 34x32T was great, although the jump from 34x25T to 34x32T was a bit much at times. I would have liked to have had a 34x28 too! I had good traction on the climbs, good feelings on the downhills and on the corners, and I think I was fairly efficient on the pavement. I conclude that the Trigger 33 mm tires at 40 psi front and 45 psi back were probably pretty good overall choices. I was able to ride the first climb hard, and I was able to ride the second climb and the last 30 miles hard. And, I think I managed my limits on the downhills well enough. 

Most of all, I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this ride; to ride with people like David, Frank, Adam, and Jonathan; to be outside on beautiful terrain; to feel and hear the air rushing against me; and to be alive. 

Gran Fondo Winthrop is in 14 weeks and I'm looking forward to returning to the beautiful Methow valley.

Front Wheel. Notice that the tubeless tire and rim are covered in sealant and dirt. After a fairly ordinary bump on a rock, the tire lost air and I had to stop and install a tube. What happened? 

Gran Fondo Leavenworth 2016

Riding the Raleigh Super Course at the Top of the First Climb, Gran Fondo Leavenworth, 2016  (from Viscous Cycle)

Even with the route changes, or perhaps because of them (map), the Gran Fondo Leavenworth 2016 was awesome. Beautiful day. Beautiful course. Superb conditions. I've already forgotten the swirling, ever-present winds - turn right, into the wind; turn left, into the wind; we seemed to be plowing into the wind all the time. My friend Sean says that the ride was 94.5 miles long, a little longer than advertised. No matter: It was great to be out in the fresh air with my friends Sean and Hala and with all the riders in the group. There's something special about being in a group, like a group of dolphins, clicking and whirling along.

Brig Seidl writes an entertaining account of the ride on the Viscous Cycle Blog.

My (crazy) goal was to get within 10% of the winner, a possible, if uncertain and very difficult goal, based on my review of last year's results. The winner, Erik Bee, came in with a time of 5:44:44. Somehow I managed to get to the finish line in 6:19:19, which, remarkably, was 10% behind the winner ((380 min.-345 min.) / 345 min. = 0.101 or 10%). Full results here.

The tubeless wheels, which I had built in the winter, and Specialized Trigger 38mm tires worked beautifully on the gravel. No flats on this Viscous Cycle outing. I rode with 37 psi in the front and back. As I hoped, the wheels were exceptional on the downhills and very good on the climbs. Alas, on the road they were not so good. Indeed, at the start of climb #2 I stopped to make sure the back wheel wasn't rubbing on the brakes or, worse, on the frame or something. All clear, thankfully, but holy moly they felt slow - it must have been the wind. Still, as best I can tell, the wheels came out of the ride just as they went into it!

Overall, I managed my efforts quite well. I stayed well within my limits on climb #1 and descended safely and quite quickly.  I dropped my jacket off at aid station #1 and filled two bottles. Did I need the jacket? I think so - I was happily warm on the way up and on the way down.

As I filled up my bottles, a group of three riders went by (they didn't stop). I put a lot of effort into catching them, hoping that I could work with them down to and along the Columbia river. While I got to within perhaps 20-30 seconds of them, I just couldn't close the gap. One of those riders, from 20/20 Fuel, dropped back and three other riders came up to me (two from 20/20 Fuel) and, basically, we road up climb #2 and stayed together until we got to aid station #2 in Entiat.

I really appreciated riding behind the 20/20 Fuel riders on the way down from hill #2. They were skillful and highly predicable. I followed their lines and appreciated when one of them shouted "hole - BIG hole," which drew my attention.

At one point  on the downhill I was scared.  I was going fast and I needed to make a left somewhat off-camber turn and the consistency of the gravel changed. The gravel became rougher and bigger and deeper (I think), and I found it hard to slow down while also staying controlled. I skidded a bit at high speed but, fortunately, I managed to slow down and get to a more comfortable speed. I'm not sure how much of a margin I actually had but I'm glad nothing too unexpected happened on that corner because I think I was closer to the limit than I would have liked. (It would be a good idea to go back and try that corner once, or ten times, again.)

Once off the gravel, we worked well together, first, to Highway #79 and, then, long the Columbia river to Entiat. Because of the wind, I was really glad to have company along this stretch.  I filled two bottles at aid station #2 in Entiat and took off on my own. Given all the wind we had experienced on the way down to the river I thought that perhaps I would get a break and the wind wouldn't be so bad on the gradual road climb back to Ardenvoir.  I was wrong about that - the wind was miserable. I just went into diesel mode along that road. At about 4 miles up the road I came up to Frank Colich and we worked together until we made it back to aid station #3 and climb #3 started. I didn't stop at this aid station.

For climb #3, I kept going in diesel mode. For most to the climb I rode in 34x32T which was quite easy.  I wonder if it was too easy; perhaps, I should have tried for a good rhythm in 34x28T. With the wind, especially toward the top, the climb was hard. I felt good but just didn't seem to have the capacity to ride hard (perhaps I was just burning fat at this point). I road alone up the climb. The downhill was good and once back on the road my legs felt good and I was able to push a good gear and make good progress. With about 3 miles to go, Frank came back to me and we "sprinted" for the line. He won!

All and all, a great Gran Fondo Leavenworth!!

What's next? The plan was to ride in GF Leavenworth, Ellensburg, and Winthrop.  So, one down and two more to go. I'm looking forward to Ellensburg - last year the rhythm of that ride was awesome. But, what tires should I use? Last year I used 32mm tires on 27 inch rims (yes, definitely old style!).  They worked well except that I flatted (on the road!). This year?  I think I'll go the Specialized Trigger 38mm but with more air pressure but they seem kinda slow on the road.  Perhaps I should just try a narrower tire ...

My training for GF Leavenworth began at Thanksgiving 2015, and I was able to be consistent for pretty much 6 months. I'll be less consistent over the summer.  It will be good to hike and canoe. Still, I am looking forward to the Ellensburg and Winthrop rides.

What can I do to make the Super Course faster?  Not sure. The new wheels and 7-speed cassette work great. I can continue to explore tires and tire pressures. But,  given the frame weight, I don't think there is too much more to be done.

The Super Course - and the Vicious Cycle Grand Fondos - have helped me be alive and being alive is good. What more can you ask for?

I'll keep training, trying to find some magical combination of hard and easy riding and rest. I'll keep working at the planks and core strength exercises. Perhaps, I'll lose a little more weight but going below 145 lbs is probably not healthy for me.

No matter, I figure there's heaps of opportunity to develop and get better on the Super Course. There's so much more to learn about how to ride.

Time on the bike, starting Nov 28, 2015, showing weeks with 3+ hour rides and 5+ hour rides:

                                              Total (hours)
Week  1-4 :   3.25 - 12.00 -  6.00 -  9.50 =  30.75 

      5-8 :  11.00 -  8.75 -  5.00 -  7.50 =  31.25  

      9-12:   7.50 -  7.75 -  8.50 - 13.75 =  37.25 

     13-16:  10.50 - 14.75 - 14.00 -  9.75 =  48.75
     17-20:  11.25 - 14.50 - 13.00 - 11.00 =  49.75  
     21-24:  16.75 - 13.00 - 13.00 - 15.00 =  57.75
     25-26:  11.50 - 11.00(GFL)              ------
                                             272.00

Gran Fondo Leavenworth: Riding Segments

The winning time last year for the Gran Fondo Leavenworth 2015 was 5 hours 24 minutes (map). Can I get within 10% of the winner? To do that my time would need to be 5 hours and 56 minutes.  In other words, I would need to break six hours. Is that possible?

Gran Fondo Leavenworth - 87 miles (45 gravel) and  9,300 ft of climbing 

If I do the climbs at 11 mph (super hard/impossible) and I do the downhills and the flats at 20 mph and I don't stop for water - a very bad idea - and I don't fall, don't get a flat, and so on and so forth, I would have 2 minutes to spare by the schedule below.

segment         change   miles    time       ft       distance

0 Start                                       1,160    0.0

1 Climb #1      2,910    15.5    1:24         4,070    15.5

2 Downhill      2,540-   9.0     0:27 (1:51)  1,316    25.0

3 Climb #2      1,517    9.5     0:52         2,840    34.5

4 Downhill      1,466-   4.0     0:12 (2:55)  1,374    38.0

5 Flat            643-   20.0    1:00 (3:55)    731    58.0 / check: 60

6 Climb #3      3,250    15.0    1:21 (5:16)  3,981    73.0

7 Downhill      2,734-   14.0    0:42 (5:58)  1,247    87.0

                

Total           7,677    87.0    5:58

The ride begins at 8:00 AM.  So, basically, to break 6 hours I would need to be done with the second downhill and be on the 20 mile stretch of road by 11:00 AM and I would need to start the final climb at 12 Noon. And, at 12 Noon I would need to be feeling really, really good because that climb appears to be very HARD. So, I have two (very demanding) benchmarks.

Big unknowns: (1) averaging 11 mph uphill is likely a stretch (5 mph might be more reasonable on climb #3); (2) averaging 20 mph on the downhills might be impossible if there are a lot of sketchy and scary ruts and gravel (likely); (3) there might be a head wind along the river (and I'm likely to be on my own, time-trialing); (4) it might be hot and I won't be aclimatized; and (5) there's likely to be rural traffic, necessitating a good margin of caution.

  

Hmmm. More doable may be 15% (6 hours and 12 minutes) or  20% (6 hour 28 minutes). In 2015, at Gran Fondo Winthrop I was 26% behind the winner (on not a great day) and at Gran Fondo Ellensburg I was 17% behind. So, 10% is a real reach; still this year I will have much better training, 10 pounds less body weight, better gearing, and much better wheels and tires (and, alas, in both previous Gran Fondos in 2015 I flatted).

Whatever, I'll try to ride with élan and care, embrace what the day offers, and go as well as my legs and bicycle will take me.