FLASH-POINT BLOG ARCHIVE: May 2008

Every now and then I think it’s OK to pat yourself on the back...

We have a small group that meets Tuesdays at 6:30 for a morning ride. By design, this is an advanced workout. It’s led by “Jon”, a two-time Ironman finisher who has recently given up multi-sport to focus on his real passion, cycling. These rides are basically his personal workouts which he’s invited people to join in. Sometimes it’s hills, sometimes it’s intervals, but it’s always a hard (but good) ride. I’m a strong believer in training with people more advanced than you are when possible, so the Tuesday morning rides have been very helpful to me.

This week we did intervals. First a hill warm-up, then ten minutes of hard riding, followed by 5 minutes of easy pedaling along a several-mile bike path. Three sets. The first interval was pretty typical for me; after 10 minutes, Jon was maybe a couple hundred yards ahead. I continued to pedal a little bit faster during the rest to catch up with him, then we hit the end of the path and turned around to do the next set. Interval number two, same thing.

But something happened during the third interval which surprised Jon in two ways. First, he pretty much reached the end of the bike path during the 10-minute speed segment. That was a new speed record for him along that path. What surprised him even more however was that I finished right behind him. I’m not sure how that happened. I was feeling pretty strong that morning and I guess my training is paying off. Certainly, in an all-out race Jon would still leave me in the dust. But I admit it felt pretty good to be able to go wheel-to-wheel with him during training for once.

Next week I’ll find out if my high-speed skills were just a fluke. Or maybe, just maybe, I’m becoming a little bit hardcore.

I assume everyone saw the June 2008 issue of Bicycling magazine. In their Gear section, they list "The 5 Things To Make You Go Faster." First on the list was Deep-Section Wheels, specifically the Flash-Point FP60 wheelset. They add that even though the Flash-Points are a little heavier than an all-out climbing wheel, the aerodynamics and the smoothness of the ride makes up for it.

I don't have the wind-tunnel data, but anybody who has followed me up a hill with my Flash-Points knows they're good for climbing. It's just nice to see it confirmed in print.

The other items listed to improve your speed:

2. Food. Obviously nutrition is key. They suggest Hammer Nutrition which I don't care for simply because it doesn't mix well with Gatorade in my stomach. Personally I'm a big fan of Shot Bloks with caffeine, especially the new Cola flavor.

3. Aero Clothing. My biggest mistake this winter was that I didn't invest in a warm bike jacket. I just put on layer upon layer of running shirts and at times I was essentially riding with a parachute on my back. I guess the extra resistance was good for my legs.

4. Bike Computer. I would love to train with a bike computer. I would love to have $500 to afford it.

5. Ceramic Bearings. I have a pretty heavy bike so I think I'd invest in a new frame before swapping out the bearings, but someday I may make the switch.