(photo by Graham Watson)

Today I am watching the surf break along the beach in Santa Barbara, CA. It’s calm and serene. The white sand is smooth and glistening as the water does its little dance on top of it. Two weeks ago the sand I experienced was quite different. Two weeks ago I was trying to pedal my bike through sand that was ankle deep and sometimes deeper. Two weeks ago I was racing as part of the US National Team at the Cyclocross World Championships in Koksijde, Belgium.

There is no other course in the world quite like the one in Koksijde. Week in and week out I race in mud, dust, snow, ice, and sand but only once have I ever raced in sand that wants to consume me.

I had watched enough video coverage and talked to enough people who’d been on the course before to know that this course was ‘special’. It takes a certain kind of skill to be able to pedal your bike through the sand – you have to float across it. You have to let your bike go where it wants to go and trust that it will take you where you want to go. And at the exact moment when you start to lose speed, you have to dismount, run while pushing or shouldering your bike, remount and get back up to speed all in one fluid motion. If you try to take one pedal stroke too many, your bike abruptly stops and you lose precious time as you clumsily dismount and start running. Your timing has to be precise. Once you’re out of the sand, you ride to the next dune and do it all over again and again and again.

When you think you’ve finally got the right line dialed, the person in front of you puts a foot down and you lose your momentum, dismount and start running…and so on for each person behind you. The game isn’t always orchestrated by you but by the people around you. Keeping your head up is key to knowing what lies ahead.

Sometimes the course goes up, sometimes it goes down. Riding down a steep, deep section of sand requires no less confidence and skill than it does on the flat sections. If your wheel digs just a little too deep or turns the slightest bit, you end up eating a face full of sand after you embarrassingly flip right over your handlebars. The crowd loves it (all 60,000 of them!), of course, but all the bits and pieces of your bike that are now packed with sand are less functional and your confidence wanes. Next time you get to that section, you might opt to run right away instead of repeating said humiliating acrobatics.

The Belgians make riding in the sand look effortless. They ride with precision and confidence. They are ‘sand specialists’. It’s no surprise they went 1-7 in the men’s elite race. I, on the other hand, did less riding and more running because I don’t have the precision and confidence yet to ride my bike in deep sand.

Some of the courses here in the US incorporate sand pits, but they are typically no longer than a sand volleyball court. Riders hit the sand once a lap. The sand pit is one small section of the course, not the majority. Needless to say, I have little experience riding in sand like Koksijde. On race day I checked my expectations at the door and told myself that no matter what, as long as I raced with everything I had, I wouldn’t be too hard on myself if my result was less than stellar. On the other hand, I’d be ecstatic if my result was unexpectedly stellar.

I finished 20^th, not stellar but not disappointingly awful. When I crossed the line, all I could say was that was the hardest race I have ever done and I gave it my all.

Check out race footage for a real sideline view of the Worlds.

Originally written for Light and Motion

Off-season. What’s an off-season? I hardly remember what a true off-season is anymore because I race nearly year round. I can tell you, though, that I am anxiously looking forward to a few weeks off in February between the end of ‘cross season and the beginning of road racing.

Although in recent years I haven’t had a true “off-seasons”, I can tell you from past experience that the off-season is a time for reflection, a time to look back on the triumphs and disappointments from the past season. What went right/wrong in training? Were you happy with your race results? Could your nutrition have been handled better? Did you make the best out of every outcome – good or bad? What changes need to be made to make the coming season even better? Now is the time to consider all that went right and wrong in every facet of your cycling “life” to help prepare for a more successful 2012.

As you mull over 2011 and plan for 2012, think about how, when, where you’re going to give yourself some down time, too. Put the bike away for a few weeks. Walk. Hike. Run. Ski. Hit the gym. Do yoga or try pilates for the first time. Do all the things that you don’t get a chance to do during the season when all focus is on the bike.

In the days when I did have an off-season, I spent quite a bit of time in the gym working on my core and overall body strength and stability with Cross Fit. Unless a person is working on muscle imbalances or has a very specific focus, I believe that no cyclist needs to use a single static machine to build strength, power or endurance. Cycling is dynamic. Sure we are stationary on the saddle, but we are always in motion. It’s the coordination of muscles between the upper body, back and legs that power our movement on the bike, so why single out just one muscle? In one shot Cross Fit-type exercises incorporate almost every major muscle group into each different exercise, which improves stability, strength, power and endurance across multiple joints, not just a single muscle.

Don’t just toss your training program out the door. Eat the cookies you usually vehemently shake your head at in fear of gaining an extra pound. Have two (or three) beers instead of just one. Enjoy a Thanksgiving feast without guilt. Cut yourself some slack…for a little while anyway. Let your body recover from the strict limitations and stress that it deals with for five, six, seven months out of the year.

After a few weeks or so of unregimented “training”, slowly work yourself back into a casual training schedule. Don’t jump into intensity right away. Ride slow, long miles. Continue to mix in other activities as well. Reconsider drinking that third beer or eating that fourth cookie.  As the weeks and months tick by, tighten the focus on your training and nutrition so when you line up for the first race of the year you are as best prepared as possible. That doesn’t mean you should be at your fittest, because few people need to be flying in March, but you should be on target to reach your 2012 goals.

If you want to bring out your wild and crazy side, try cyclocross. My only warning is that it is addictive. I know from experience. It’s why I haven’t had an off-season in several years. But, it’s also why in December when it’s cold and dreary outside I am happy to be on my bike. I can race instead of train and have a lot of fun doing it. Plus, I like getting muddy. Maybe you will, too.

Originally written for Bob’s Red Mill

(photo credit: Larry Rosa)

Has another racing season really come and gone already? I can’t believe that I am sitting here at my computer, looking out the window at the snow falling, while thinking back on the 2011 road racing season.

It all happened so fast – I was competing at the Cyclocross World Championships in St Wendel, Germany on Jan 30. Two and a half weeks later I was at training camp with Team TIBCO in Carpinteria, CA. Whoa. A week after camp I was in Washington DC wearing my cycling advocacy hat at the National Bike Summit. Three weeks later the racing season was underway at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

I chuckle to myself when I think of the number of times I have raced Redlands. I smile when I think of all the different families I have stayed with and continue to look forward to seeing year after year. I think of how the race has changed from ten years ago when it was a 6-day event to the 4-day event that it is now. I can remember numerous courses that have come and gone, some that I wish were still in existence, but the two that have always remained the same are the downtown criterium and the Sunset circuit race – two of the hardest races on the calendar all year.

April was a big racing month – Redlands, Sunny King, Sea Otter and SRAM Tour of the Gila. It was a good month of racing in regards to the races themselves, but it was a tough one for the team. Several of our top riders, Ali Powers, Erinne Willock and Carmen Small, were home nursing injuries. As our team leaders, they left a big gap to fill. Luckily the rest of the team was up for the task. We raced hard. We didn’t get the results we wanted, but we didn’t give up either.

May – Joe Martin and Tour de Grove. The team got a win at Joe Martin and we cleaned up at Tour de Grove. We were happy for sure.

June was another huge month of racing. We were at the Liberty Classic in Philly, Clarendon in Washington DC, Nature Valley Grand Prix in MN, and US Road Nationals in GA. Junes was a mixed bag of emotions and results. We had good days, races that went well but didn’t yield the final result we wanted. And we had bad days. Races that just went wrong, days when we just didn’t click. But, that’s bike racing. Things don’t always go your way, but when they do it’s magic.

What I remember most about July is how little I was home. About 5 days total. It was a loooong month on the road. I was all over the place. We started with Tour de ‘Toona, a race that once had been a premier stage race and was now resurrecting itself from a three year hiatus. I was happy to be back in Altoona, PA. From there I went to Sun Valley, ID with my husband, Ben, to support him at US MTB Nationals. And maybe I snuck in a little time on my mtn bike, too. Next thing I knew I was in Bend, my home away from home, for Cascade, one of my favorite races all year. Bend is where I won road nationals. I’ve had some notable cross results there, too, so Bend has a special place in my heart. The team’s results at Cascade were good, not great. We could have done better and we knew it.

The last race of the month and the last race of the season for me was the Presbyterian Classic in Charlotte. It’s a prestigious criterium with a lot of money on the line. My teammates and I did everything we could to get that result that had been eluding us all season, that one BIG result. We didn’t get it.

We may not have gotten a big result, but we did take something meaningful home with us. The day before the race we visited the pediatric cancer ward at the Presbyterian Hospital where we visited with several inspirational, courageous and tenacious kids who may have been sick but didn’t want us to know it. They smiled when they met us. They wanted to watch the bike race. They enjoyed our company. For a little while, hopefully, their sickness was forgotten.

The road season was over. My race season was not. Cross season was a month and a half away. I had a couple weeks off the bike completely, a few weeks on the mtn bike and then before I could say ‘boo’ I was lining up for the first cross race of the season – CrossVegas. But that’s another story…

Originally written for Bob’s Red Mill

A list of race day do’s and don’ts could go on forever and each person you ask will have a different story or opinion. Rather than write a stale list of what to do and what not to do, I thought walking you through how I spent the 24-hours before, during and after the biggest one day race in America might have more of an impact. While I realize that most racers don’t have the luxury of traveling with support staff the way I do, the routine I follow can easily be adapted for the amateur racer.

My teammates and I arrived in Philadelphia several days before the race because of sponsor commitments. By Friday morning, we were settled into our race hotel and ready to pre-ride the course. When possible, we like to ride the course at the same time we will race the next day. This gives us a chance to get used to the conditions – wind direction, temperature, etc. – that we could encounter during the race.

Most of us had raced the Liberty Classic in the past, but a refresher of the course is always appreciated a year later. As we pre-rode the course, we reviewed the nuances of the course, recalled results of past editions and discussed potential tactics.

DO pre-ride the course when possible or review course profile online.

DON’T wait until you line up for the start to know your competition. Look at past results/reports to know how the race unfolded and which riders you should keep your eye on.

Following our pre-ride, it was back to the race hotel for showers and food. Having the luxury of traveling with staff, we dropped our race bikes off with the mechanic for final adjustments. I had a quick chat with my mechanic about my gearing and race wheel preference before I left my stead in his capable hands.

DO be prepared with the right equipment you need for the course.

DON’T wait until the day before to make changes to your bike (unless you have a mechanic at your disposal) to avoid last minute surprise mechanicals.

A shower was followed by a team dinner. I made sure I ate a well-balanced meal that included nutrient dense foods to provide me with the type of fuel I need come race day. My teammates and I generally eat together, and our Sports Director will conduct a team meeting before, during or after the meal.

DO fuel properly. Now is not the time to cut calories.

DON’T introduce foods you’ve never eaten before or during races. Experiment with new foods during training, not race day.

The team meeting included a repeat of the discussion points my teammates and I covered during our pre-ride before turning to the specific tactics we would employ the next day. We reviewed the course profile, designated team leader(s) and determined each rider’s roles.

DO know your race plan before you toe the line.

DON’T feel the need to make your plan alone. Seek input from you coach, your training partners, your friends who have raced the course before, etc.

Before bed, I packed my bag and pinned my numbers. Some people have a printed checklist that covers what needs to make it into their race bag for each race. Having raced for an eternity, I no longer need anything but a mental checklist to be sure my helmet, shoes, kit, gloves, socks, sunglasses, etc. make it into my bag. I rely on staff to ensure that anything I might require for nutritional and mechanical needs are packed in the team vehicles.

DO as much race prep the night before as possible so you aren’t scrambling the morning of the race and inevitably forget an important item.

DON’T feel the need to do everything yourself. Share the workload with teammates or enlist personal support.

Back in my hotel room, I chilled and stayed off my feet for the remainder of the evening before heading to bed at a reasonable hour.

DO get quality sleep.

DON’T spend more time than necessary on your feet.

Early morning wake-up for our 9AM start. Some of my teammates find that they need to eat their main pre-race meal three or four hours prior to race start. I’m lucky in that I can eat pretty much up to an hour before. As with my dinner, I make sure that I choose race day foods that provide me with all the nutrients I’ll need for my race.

My teammates and I biked to the course from our hotel and then rode the final few kilometers of the circuit. During our pre-ride the day before the course was not closed. Riding before the start we were able to see the final twists and turns just as they would be in the race. This served as both our warm-up and our final chance to talk through the tactics we had discussed the previous day.

DO warm up well. More intense warm up time is needed before shorter races, such as time trials and criteriums, than long road races.

DON’T allow the finish to be a surprise – ride the last couple kilometers with your teammates when possible to finalize tactics.

By the time we had finished our warm-up, our Sports Director had set up our team tent and pulled out our box of food and cooler of bottles. I stuffed my pocket with bars and gels and grabbed two bottles for my bike before throwing my extra clothes in the team van and heading to the start.

With four circuit laps under the blazing sun, the Liberty Classic generally gets off to a mellow start. As I surfed around in the pack, I reviewed my race nutritional plan. Ideally, I eat every thirty minutes and drop back to my team car for a bottle or grab one in a feed zone as soon as I’m empty.

DO know your eating and hydration schedule.

DON’T underestimate nutritional needs. Take more food than you think you’ll need, and if you won’t have the ability to grab a bottle during the race, consider sticking a third bottle in your jersey pocket.

My teammates and I stuck together on the course. It’s essential that we ride as a unit in order to communicate effectively. Team tactics carefully planned may need to be discarded if a race doesn’t unfold as expected, and riding as a group ensures that we’re able to discuss any required changes as they become necessary.

As the race heads into the final kilometers, everything becomes a bit more intense. The need to communicate clearly and effectively is even more heightened. My teammates and I chatted to make sure we remained on the same page regarding the plan we intended to execute.

DO communicate with your teammates as often as possible. Let them ‘in’ to a spot near you to facilitate communication.

DON’T be afraid to adjust your race plan on the fly.

Although we executed our plan to the best of our abilities at Philly, we had hoped for a better outcome than the fourth place we secured. Immediately following the race, we had a post-race meeting to discuss what we could have done better and what we need to improve upon for our next race. Together, we rode back to the hotel as a cool down before we indulged in another healthy recovery meal.

DO debrief post race to discuss what went right and what did not.

DON’T forget that post race nutrition is important, too, especially when racing again the next day.

Without question, this is not an exhaustive list of race day do’s and don’ts, but there is an abundant source of information here to help you get the most out of your racing experience. Remember that taking extra time to prepare yourself and your bike before the race will leave you best prepared for what happens during the race.

Originally written for Bob’s Red Mill