So with all of the blogs and postings about everyone’s pre-season training, I thought I would add to the hype with a post of my own. I’d like to talk about my training camp, or lack thereof… or more specifically about a particular day that I’m quite proud of. You won’t hear about some trip to Hawaii or a month in Southern California on this blog. No, I’m choosing to brag about a typical work day right here in Warren Michigan, where some of the best training in the world can be had. What’s so special about Warren Michigan? Well maybe nothing really, it’s flat as a pancake, and traffic is shear gridlock, but that’s not the point…
My Wednesday started off with Boonen, the new puppy, whining at 4:20AM. It doesn’t seem to Matter how early I set the alarm, his ability to anticipate it is pure genius. I’m beginning to think that little bugger can read time on the alarm clock. I’m greeted by Boonen along with some angry undertones from Michelle as she’s woken up from a dead slumber. I choose to ignore it, rather than start something at 4:30am I know I’m not going to be able to finish before the 5am wheels up. I throw the cycling clothes on and get Boonen out for his food and potty. Buddy, the older golden, just slides his head under the bed to wait for when normal people get up.
I load on the 25 lb backpack filled with everything I’ll need for the day. No breakfast and just water for the ride in, it’s unfortunate this sport is heavily reliant on how much you weigh. Thanks to daylight savings time, my entire ride to work will be in complete darkness. The wind is light and out of the west, but it’s quite chilly… 35 degrees to be exact as my 1500 lumens lights up the display in front of the bank. I’ll make good time today trying to stay warm. My 40 mile route from Oxford to Warren is quite cunning. It was sniffed out by the great Robert Herriman and keeps me clear from most all of the traffic, although at 5am, that doesn’t seem to be a problem. Hammer, hammer, hammer… I’m trying to make it in 2hrs, but I’ve never accomplished it, 2hrs 10min today, good effort, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I drop my gear off at the cubical and head for the bathroom. You won’t find a shower or locker room in Building 201, the best we have is the 3rd handicap stall. Lets just hope no one has blown it up yet. I pull in for the clothing change and realize I only have one baby wipe left… better make it count and take care of the undercarriage. Last thing we need is a grape sized saddle sore. I retreat to my cubical for breakfast where I’ll spend the next 9hrs. On the docket for today is finishing my mid year contributions for my performance review… this should be interesting.
The morning seems to fly by as I’m still buzzing from my ride in. One of my generous healthy co-workers decides to bring in donuts, I decline, and stick to my oats and protein powder topped off with fish oil for desert. I have a little bit more attitude today cause I rode in. Then it hits me… the idea to pull off the work day century. I may as well, seeing as the weather was beautiful, and the wind shifted and was out of the South. Lets do it! I get to planning the route with some help from my buddy Pat, we come up with a solid 62 mile plan to get it done…
The “work” day starts to come to a close and I’m sort of getting fired up for the challenge. The temps have climbed, and it looks like all I’ll need is shorts and a jersey… a far cry from the full on winter kit I stumbled into the office with. Hell, there’s no one around, I’ll just change right in the cube today to save the walk of shame from the bathroom to the front door in front of my co-workers. They love it though, they think I’m absolutely fucking nuts, but they REALLY get a good kick out of it. I really don’t care, I’ll entertain them if that’s what it takes to get the miles in.
The legs feel good. I seem to be breezing right through every road crossing and hitting all the green lights. This might be a new record. I head North onto the dirt rds for some hill action, and they’re fast and dialed. Seems the road grader hit the East/West rds, good thing I’m mostly heading North. I make my way all the up to Almont to check out this climb I’ve had my eye on for while. It’s surprisingly tough and has a super steep kick near the end. I’ll have to integrate this into the rotation. 91 miles in on the mountain bike and the backpack is starting to wear me down. I head East back home on the rail trail, but it’s still a little mushy. Ugh… I’m feeling it now, but in a weird way, I’m happy the trip is starting to really tax my legs. I’m focusing on the average speed… 18.3, 18.2, 18.1… I dig super hard and decide I’m not letting it drop below 18. I’m really gritting my teeth now… and I go for a sprint to finish myself off on the bridge over M24. Whew! I made it! 18.1mph average and 102 miles… on a workday! I have a moment of great pride. The family was in the front yard to greet me. The perfect way to finish a long day at work.
So I digress back to my original point of what IS the point of this workday madness. I guess my point is that it doesn’t matter where you train, or who you train with, or even how much time you have to train… Good riding can be had everywhere, and a solid training program can be developed to fit almost any schedule with a little determination. It’s the mindset that matters more than anything. Thriving off the determination and perseverance to do what is needed to be in peak condition regardless of the conditions. And turns out, I think I prefer it that way. Thanks for reading, and stay determined to keep the wheels turning in 2012.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
45 and Pure Sun in February?
What's with this weather we're having up here in Michigan? I remember shoveling snow piles as tall as my head this time last year at the end of my driveway, just as the plow truck so graciously pushed it right back into my driveway. I've had quite a few battles with her, Mother Nature that is. We're not exactly the best of friends. I guess I'm lucky I still have all my fingers and toes, cause the frost bite's never been THAT bad. I think all Michigan cyclists kind of feel the same way if you've lived here long enough.
I don't know what she's up to handing out dry, sunny, 45 degree days in February, but I'm scared. I'm scared about what she has brewing for us in March, or even April. Or did winter just somehow miraculously pass us by? Maybe old man winter got sick of her bossing him around and he retreated to the heated garage and now she's taking it out on her pets the Lion and the Lamb. Or maybe it was my purchase of that fancy indoor spin bike that guaranteed this weather were having. I just hope old man winter doesn't come storming out of the heated garage all pissed off ready to reclaim his territory. I don't know, but I'm living it up while I can. Hell, I might even ride to work and back this week! Woohoo!
I don't know what she's up to handing out dry, sunny, 45 degree days in February, but I'm scared. I'm scared about what she has brewing for us in March, or even April. Or did winter just somehow miraculously pass us by? Maybe old man winter got sick of her bossing him around and he retreated to the heated garage and now she's taking it out on her pets the Lion and the Lamb. Or maybe it was my purchase of that fancy indoor spin bike that guaranteed this weather were having. I just hope old man winter doesn't come storming out of the heated garage all pissed off ready to reclaim his territory. I don't know, but I'm living it up while I can. Hell, I might even ride to work and back this week! Woohoo!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The "Wonder Ifs"
I wonder if I didn't drink so much. I wonder if I weighed less. I wonder if I rested more. I wonder if I trained with more intensity. I wonder if I trained more hrs. I wonder if I had a pro contract and didn't have to work. I wonder if I would have started racing at a younger age. I wonder if my bike was lighter. I wonder if I wore blue socks instead of black... and the list goes on and on.
I've been at this for over 10 years now, and while I think I have answers for most of those "wonder ifs", the dreams still haunt me, at least for another year. Well, I'm 32 years old now. It's right in that age catagory where experience meets the limits of a young adults physiology. And let's face it, the dream of doing this racing gig full time went up in smoke somewhere in my 20's. But the dream of the "perfect race" still holds a coveted spot in my heart and I still haven't convinced myself I've gotton there yet.
With that being said, 2012 is the year I settle all my wonder ifs. That's the goal. I want to be at peace with this cycling stuff at some point in my life. Some day I'd like to be a guy that enjoys a slow pace group ride, or shows up to the local race series with the winter beer belly still in tact. But this year, THIS YEAR, I'm going to accept all the mandatory requirements to survive on this planet and refuse to let them be "excuses." At the end of the day, I'm happy with the choices I've made so far. I mean, you can't be a pro forever. It's nice to have a career in place and the finances squared away. Something I'm proud to say I've managed to work in tandem with this whole cycling thing.
But I'm convinced you don't need to have a full time pro contract to compete and win against the pro's in the sport of mountain biking in the United States. Sure it makes it easier, but only a handful have the luxury, and I'm not going to let it be an "excuse". So at least I have an answer for that big "wonder if." But what about all the others? Well I guess I can't answer them all, but there are still a few left within my power to answer this year, and hopefully that's enough to satisfy my hunger for the perfect race. Hope to see you out there at the races answering all your "wonder ifs", and hopefully one day I'll be happy to just enjoy that slow group ride on a nice warm sunny day.
I've been at this for over 10 years now, and while I think I have answers for most of those "wonder ifs", the dreams still haunt me, at least for another year. Well, I'm 32 years old now. It's right in that age catagory where experience meets the limits of a young adults physiology. And let's face it, the dream of doing this racing gig full time went up in smoke somewhere in my 20's. But the dream of the "perfect race" still holds a coveted spot in my heart and I still haven't convinced myself I've gotton there yet.
With that being said, 2012 is the year I settle all my wonder ifs. That's the goal. I want to be at peace with this cycling stuff at some point in my life. Some day I'd like to be a guy that enjoys a slow pace group ride, or shows up to the local race series with the winter beer belly still in tact. But this year, THIS YEAR, I'm going to accept all the mandatory requirements to survive on this planet and refuse to let them be "excuses." At the end of the day, I'm happy with the choices I've made so far. I mean, you can't be a pro forever. It's nice to have a career in place and the finances squared away. Something I'm proud to say I've managed to work in tandem with this whole cycling thing.
But I'm convinced you don't need to have a full time pro contract to compete and win against the pro's in the sport of mountain biking in the United States. Sure it makes it easier, but only a handful have the luxury, and I'm not going to let it be an "excuse". So at least I have an answer for that big "wonder if." But what about all the others? Well I guess I can't answer them all, but there are still a few left within my power to answer this year, and hopefully that's enough to satisfy my hunger for the perfect race. Hope to see you out there at the races answering all your "wonder ifs", and hopefully one day I'll be happy to just enjoy that slow group ride on a nice warm sunny day.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Season Ending and the Season Beginning
So Iceman came and went and proved to be the season finale for me just like every year. This year was a cap to a successful comeback from the neck injury. Everything about the race was great! The weather was awesome, the race went smooth, and the post race sunset on the season was a blast. The cheers at the start line were awesome! It was a really cool moment for me standing there as all my fellow comrades clapped and cheered for my return. I’ll never forget it. It makes me realize how many close friends I’ve made over the years because of this sport. Cranking out mile after mile, hour after hour, with so many different people has given me the opportunity to develop and maintain so many close relationships. If I can take anything away from this sport, it would be the friendships. I hope to get to know many more of you out there on the roads in the coming years.
With that being said, the racing season for next year is already taking shape. Looks like all the sponsors will be back for 2012. I’ll still be rocking the Notubes wheels. If you haven’t heard of these fantastic race wheels, you’ve been living in a cave, which I suppose I can understand if you’re a pro cyclist. Anyways, they’re all over the podiums and they make great products. Rochester Bike Shop is supporting again as well, so get down to RBS in downtown Rochester for all your cycling needs. They’re great people and will bend over backwards to take care of you. Also on board again is CPA Crossings to support with the entry fees. Bryan Smith and his colleagues started this company on their own blood and sweat. I’ve had a chance to ride with Bryan on a couple of occasions and he’s a no bullshit straight shooter stand up kind of guy who’s definitely not afraid to push himself on the bike. So spread the word about this great company and the wonderful support they are providing for the team! Mucho appreciation! And of course we can’t forget the Trek 29ers. The new Superfly is straight up race ready out of the box rocking the top-o-the-line SRAM XX kit. Hopefully that’s what I’ll be on next year (hint hint).
The training has been going really well. I swooped up a killer new toy. It’s a Cycleops 300 Pro indoor spin bike. This baby comes power tap equipped with all the bells and whistles. I’ve gotten on it a few times and run a few tests. Very humbling experience looking at the power numbers right in front of you. Hopefully training with power is going to really help boost the fitness. It’s great to have something like this permanently setup in the basement so it’s ready to just hop and go. I’m still running a ton of stairs just about every day on my lunch break. It’s helping to keep the winter padding on the waist to a minimum. On the weekends I’ve just been cranking out the miles on the dirt rds to keep my endurance up. Other than that, nothing all that special for this time of year.
The 2012 schedule is shaping up. Looks like a another run at the NUE series, and I’m really taking interest in this new UltraCX series as well. The timing of the two series looks to work out perfectly. I’m also going to try my luck at the Leadville lottery again this year as well, but if I don’t make it, there’s plenty of other very cool options. Then of course there will be the fall run-up to the Iceman. So I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and getting ready for a power packed winter of training. Hope to see you out on the roads!
With that being said, the racing season for next year is already taking shape. Looks like all the sponsors will be back for 2012. I’ll still be rocking the Notubes wheels. If you haven’t heard of these fantastic race wheels, you’ve been living in a cave, which I suppose I can understand if you’re a pro cyclist. Anyways, they’re all over the podiums and they make great products. Rochester Bike Shop is supporting again as well, so get down to RBS in downtown Rochester for all your cycling needs. They’re great people and will bend over backwards to take care of you. Also on board again is CPA Crossings to support with the entry fees. Bryan Smith and his colleagues started this company on their own blood and sweat. I’ve had a chance to ride with Bryan on a couple of occasions and he’s a no bullshit straight shooter stand up kind of guy who’s definitely not afraid to push himself on the bike. So spread the word about this great company and the wonderful support they are providing for the team! Mucho appreciation! And of course we can’t forget the Trek 29ers. The new Superfly is straight up race ready out of the box rocking the top-o-the-line SRAM XX kit. Hopefully that’s what I’ll be on next year (hint hint).
The training has been going really well. I swooped up a killer new toy. It’s a Cycleops 300 Pro indoor spin bike. This baby comes power tap equipped with all the bells and whistles. I’ve gotten on it a few times and run a few tests. Very humbling experience looking at the power numbers right in front of you. Hopefully training with power is going to really help boost the fitness. It’s great to have something like this permanently setup in the basement so it’s ready to just hop and go. I’m still running a ton of stairs just about every day on my lunch break. It’s helping to keep the winter padding on the waist to a minimum. On the weekends I’ve just been cranking out the miles on the dirt rds to keep my endurance up. Other than that, nothing all that special for this time of year.
The 2012 schedule is shaping up. Looks like a another run at the NUE series, and I’m really taking interest in this new UltraCX series as well. The timing of the two series looks to work out perfectly. I’m also going to try my luck at the Leadville lottery again this year as well, but if I don’t make it, there’s plenty of other very cool options. Then of course there will be the fall run-up to the Iceman. So I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and getting ready for a power packed winter of training. Hope to see you out on the roads!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Getting Back in the Groove
It’s been about 2 months since the accident and things are going pretty well. The neck is still a little bit stiff and the muscles in my back get sore occasionally, but other than that, I feel pretty much back to normal. I got clearance from the doctors that I could go back to my normal reckless behavior early in October. I think they were pretty surprised to see how quickly things healed. I know I was. So with 4 weeks out till Iceman, I decided I was going to make a run at gaining back as much fitness as possible before November 5th. What better way to get fitness fast than to race race race! That and a whole lot of stair running on my lunch break.
First weekend back to racing saw me up North at the beautiful Crystal Mountain Resort for the Peak to Peak. This race is really taking off. The attention to detail and Tad’s willingness to take the advice of the participants to heart has really been the fuel that keeps this race growing. The bottom line is that he really sees the participants as customers. Anyways, the start went well, but as soon as we hit the singletrack, I panicked. I couldn’t get off the brakes and gaps were opening up everywhere. The legs locked up with lactic acid and the lungs filled up with phlegm. I decided to lay back and work my way back into the race. Sure enough I was able to recover and I kept the hammer down and was able to pick up a nice 11th place in a deep field for my first race back. Props to the Wisco guys who dominated. It definitely helps bring up the level of competition having them come over to this side of the pond.
During the week, I was keeping up with my stair running and I could feel the lungs coming back ever so slowly. On the weekends I decided to start hitting up these CX races since the next two weekends were on Saturdays, which leaves Sundays open for a longer ride to work on a little endurance. Definitely not a big fan of the Sunday races. The Mad Anthony CX went OK. The downtown Detroit vibe was really cool and refreshing. Again, the fast start blew my legs and lungs out of the water, and then it was a struggle to recover and try to regain some spots. I think I ended up 12th? Not too bad in the A class on the mountain bike. I’ll chalk it up as a good workout. Sunday I hit the dirt rds with Greg Kuhn and Sven. We hammered out 45 miles and I could tell the legs were feeling better.
I’d continue my stair running during the week, but this week I added in a 50lb vest. Needless to say everything was sore for a good 2 days after. I decided to try my luck at the Vets Park CX. The plan was to see how it went Saturday, and then make a decision about whether to race Sunday or not. Saturday didn’t go all that well. Every time I hit the barriers and the run-up, the guy directly in front of me would become out of site! That’s how bad I was at getting on and off the bike. Still I finished in the mid pack somewhere on the mountain bike, so I guess that’s not too bad. Another great workout, but I wasn’t feeling too motivated to come back to that mess again on Sunday and take another flogging on the slip and slide. So I decided Greg and I would go out and get in another 45 miler. We did some awesome V02 intervals and I was pretty smashed by the time I got home. I was happy about the decision.
This week I went out Tuesday with Sven and rode the trail to get a feel for the rigid fork. Next few days will just be recovery rides. No stairs this week. So there ya have it… the Simonster Iceman 4 week training plan. Hope it’s enough to at least fake it at the front for a while. I’m super pumped about the race this year. Having a more relaxed approach and putting less pressure on myself is a nice change of pace. Looking forward to hanging out and partying with all my crazy bike riding friends! It’s going to be a blast.
First weekend back to racing saw me up North at the beautiful Crystal Mountain Resort for the Peak to Peak. This race is really taking off. The attention to detail and Tad’s willingness to take the advice of the participants to heart has really been the fuel that keeps this race growing. The bottom line is that he really sees the participants as customers. Anyways, the start went well, but as soon as we hit the singletrack, I panicked. I couldn’t get off the brakes and gaps were opening up everywhere. The legs locked up with lactic acid and the lungs filled up with phlegm. I decided to lay back and work my way back into the race. Sure enough I was able to recover and I kept the hammer down and was able to pick up a nice 11th place in a deep field for my first race back. Props to the Wisco guys who dominated. It definitely helps bring up the level of competition having them come over to this side of the pond.
During the week, I was keeping up with my stair running and I could feel the lungs coming back ever so slowly. On the weekends I decided to start hitting up these CX races since the next two weekends were on Saturdays, which leaves Sundays open for a longer ride to work on a little endurance. Definitely not a big fan of the Sunday races. The Mad Anthony CX went OK. The downtown Detroit vibe was really cool and refreshing. Again, the fast start blew my legs and lungs out of the water, and then it was a struggle to recover and try to regain some spots. I think I ended up 12th? Not too bad in the A class on the mountain bike. I’ll chalk it up as a good workout. Sunday I hit the dirt rds with Greg Kuhn and Sven. We hammered out 45 miles and I could tell the legs were feeling better.
I’d continue my stair running during the week, but this week I added in a 50lb vest. Needless to say everything was sore for a good 2 days after. I decided to try my luck at the Vets Park CX. The plan was to see how it went Saturday, and then make a decision about whether to race Sunday or not. Saturday didn’t go all that well. Every time I hit the barriers and the run-up, the guy directly in front of me would become out of site! That’s how bad I was at getting on and off the bike. Still I finished in the mid pack somewhere on the mountain bike, so I guess that’s not too bad. Another great workout, but I wasn’t feeling too motivated to come back to that mess again on Sunday and take another flogging on the slip and slide. So I decided Greg and I would go out and get in another 45 miler. We did some awesome V02 intervals and I was pretty smashed by the time I got home. I was happy about the decision.
This week I went out Tuesday with Sven and rode the trail to get a feel for the rigid fork. Next few days will just be recovery rides. No stairs this week. So there ya have it… the Simonster Iceman 4 week training plan. Hope it’s enough to at least fake it at the front for a while. I’m super pumped about the race this year. Having a more relaxed approach and putting less pressure on myself is a nice change of pace. Looking forward to hanging out and partying with all my crazy bike riding friends! It’s going to be a blast.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The Shenandoah Saga
So here we are in Sept at the Shenandoah 100 after a hard season of 100 mile mountain bike racing. I was sitting 3rd in the points, however I had just received word that Josh Tostado placed 3rd at Park City. This meant I needed 2nd to reclaim 3rd in the overall points, quite a challenge knowing Christian and Jeff were out to kill each other and the pace was going to be all out. Shenandoah is one of my favorite courses. It’s like a Tour De France mountain stage on dirt guaranteed to make you scream for mercy. The race started quickly as usual. The XC guys were at the front pushing the pace hard up the first climb. I decided to just hang onto the back and not get too excited as the pack always seems to re-group on the descent. Sure enough we were all back together before heading out onto Tilfman Rd.
Things would begin to split up as we made our way up the next climb at Briery Branch. I kept a steady pace and I knew what my ability was on this climb since I pre-rode it the day before. Christian and Jeff flew up the hill followed by Sam Koerber and another local rider Kevin Carter. I let them go and focused on staying with the others as they passed one by one. We formed a group on the descent, but the group of 4 off the front were gone. We worked together somewhat for a little while on the roads until we reached Hanky’s. Sven Buaman, just off the plane from Germany, pushed the pace until it was down to just him and me at the top. Sven and I would continue together on the descent. We were working really well together and I knew if we could keep it up, we had a chance to regain the positions we lost. Up and over the next singletrack climb and onto the soul crusher, Sven and I were pretty much locked in step. By the top of the Soul Crusher, we had picked up Kevin Carter and we were bearing down on Sam in 3rd. I decided I was going to really push the pace on the descent and make the big effort to separate from Sven and go after Sam. The Chestnut descent comes off a 4000ft peak and in just a few miles, takes you all the way down to 2000ft, so this isn't your average roller. It's a full on downhill singletrack descent worthy of a downhill rig in some sections. The Superfly 100 was so smooth on the descent, it allowed for speeds far greater than I was used to on the hardtail. A quick little crash near the top should have been a warning that I was getting tired but I gathered myself quickly and was back to tearing down the mountain at warp speed.
I’d love to tell you that I kept riding at warp speed and caught Sam, then blasted up the return to Hanky’s and caught Jeff, placing 2nd and taking back my 3rd place in the points… but what was about to happen was the most horrifying experience on a bike I can ever remember.
So I’m flying down this descent. Not sure how fast I was going, but maybe 25mph??? I was barely on the brakes. I could feel my arms getting tired and pumped. Even my fingers were fatiguing from hanging onto the grips. Then just as I was coming around a sweeping corner I began to lose control of the bike. It was a steep section of singletrack with lots of big jagged rocks. I knew I was going down and I knew it was going to hurt. Then SMASH! As I tried to tuck and roll to the right, I went head first into a tree. My body flung around and I came to a stop lying on the side of the trail. My arms were up in the air like a praying mantis. I could barely move my legs. I was gasping for breath. I think Kevin was the first to stop, then Sven stopped. Sven decided to stay with me, giving up his shot at the podium. Thanks Sven, I owe you one buddy. Kevin carried on to let first aid know I was in serious trouble at the next aid station.
“Mike, you need to lay down, you have big cut on your neck.” Sven kept saying this over and over. I could tell he was extremely concerned. We laid there for a while as rider after rider passed. I kept telling him I was OK and I kept trying to get up. But something was definitely wrong. I had double vision and blood was dripping down my chest. I wrapped my jersey around my neck. I had no idea how bad this cut really was and I didn’t even notice the 5” long laceration on my forearm. I think I hit my helmet so hard that the chin strap drove right into my neck cutting it wide open. There's nothing like getting gashed wide open with a lycra strap. At that point, all I wanted to do was get off the mountain and down to my wife at the aid station. I even got back on the bike and started rolling down the hill again. But I was losing too much blood and the double vision came back quickly and I had to stop. Just then, one of the first aid girls got to me. She kept me company and got me to sit down on a log and wait for the evacuation crew to show up. About 30min later, they finally got there on the 4 wheeler and loaded me onto a stretcher. It was very slow go to get me the rest of the way out of the woods. I didn’t want to come out of the woods in a stretcher, and I was actually a little embarrassed about it. I knew my wife Mitch was going to freak. It also brings up the question as to how well prepared the NUE promoters are for this sort of situation. We all love to sign those waivers, but at some level, the overall safety for these events needs to be consistently provided for. But that’s a whole other bag of worms. I was just happy someone came and got me out of there. I just laid there looking at the sky as frantic helpers tried to figure out what to do with me. Next thing I know I’m in a helicopter on the way to the trauma center in Charlottesville as the hospital in Harrisonburg wasn’t going to be able to handle my injuries.
They gave me a good looking over and asked me all sorts of questions. I was actually thinking they would just sew me up that night and send me home… but as the E.R. doctor was on the way out of the door, she said, “I wouldn’t make any plans for the next few days.” I began to feel a little scared. They quickly moved me onto X-rays and CT-scans of the top half of my body. The news came back that I had 3 fractured vertebrae in my neck, a fracture in the base of my skull, and two fractured vertebrae in my back. The laceration on my neck was so deep, it had exposed both my jugular and carotid arteries. My heart sunk. Would I ever be able to ride again? Did I need surgery? The doc then gave me the good news that I was extremely lucky. She said the fractures were non-displaced, meaning that the bones were more or less just cracked and stayed in place. Most likely I’d just be in a C-brace for 6 weeks and they’d heel just like any other sort of bone break. She also gave me the good news that they were going to be able to stitch my neck and arm bedside and it wouldn’t require surgery… only pain killers and local anesthetic. “You must have had an angel there with you,” she said. “If the cut had gone any deeper, they wouldn’t have gotten to you time. If the fracture on the base of your skull was any larger, you could have been completely paralyzed and stopped breathing. I can't believe you have no damage to your nerves whatsoever” I didn’t know what to say. I just sort of brushed it off and chuckled at her. But the reality was that it hadn’t quite hit me as to what just happened.
Mitch, bless her heart, stayed by my side as they stitched me up and sent me off to the ICU. The next day, I was released from ICU. From there, I was on flat bed rest until the trauma team decided I was OK to release. Ryan O’Dell, founder of the NUE, stopped by and chatted with me for a while to get the story out to the press and let everyone know I was going to be OK. I was sort of in and out of it as whatever pain medicine they had me on, kept me pretty whacky, but I’m glad it did. Laying flat on your back for 3 days is like torture. Mitch slept in the room with me all 3 nights and made sure the nurses took care of me. She called all my friends to spread the news that I was going to be alright. Being laid up in a hospital is a terrible experience and I have nothing but sympathy for anyone that has to go through it. The doctors in the University of Virginia trauma center did a fantastic job putting me back together and I’m very grateful to have had such a good team working on me. Finally I was released, but dreading the 10hr drive home. Thanks to my father in law Dan O’Dea who soldiered out the 10hr drive solo through some of the worst downpours I’ve ever traveled in. I believe they even evacuated part of the highway the flooding was getting so bad.
Anyways, I made it home, and have begun the recovery process. It’s hard to believe I’m back here in my cubical when only 2 weeks ago I was almost killed in a bicycle accident. I'm sure this accident has left an impression with a lot of the NUE racers. Even the pro's make mistakes, and an accident like this is just a second away from hapenning out there when we're pushing the limits so far. It's something that's always in the back of my mind, but I've always tried to ignore it and just made the assumption that it wouldn't happen to me... but it did, and I was lucky. Makes me double take how I feel about racing. I mean I work a desk job, but I still need to be able to make it to work on Monday. But I think bicycle racing is in my blood. I still love this sport and I’m not not quite ready to give it up. It actually feels good to get back to normal. I have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon in a couple weeks to check up on the bones, but so far so good. Thanks for reading!
Things would begin to split up as we made our way up the next climb at Briery Branch. I kept a steady pace and I knew what my ability was on this climb since I pre-rode it the day before. Christian and Jeff flew up the hill followed by Sam Koerber and another local rider Kevin Carter. I let them go and focused on staying with the others as they passed one by one. We formed a group on the descent, but the group of 4 off the front were gone. We worked together somewhat for a little while on the roads until we reached Hanky’s. Sven Buaman, just off the plane from Germany, pushed the pace until it was down to just him and me at the top. Sven and I would continue together on the descent. We were working really well together and I knew if we could keep it up, we had a chance to regain the positions we lost. Up and over the next singletrack climb and onto the soul crusher, Sven and I were pretty much locked in step. By the top of the Soul Crusher, we had picked up Kevin Carter and we were bearing down on Sam in 3rd. I decided I was going to really push the pace on the descent and make the big effort to separate from Sven and go after Sam. The Chestnut descent comes off a 4000ft peak and in just a few miles, takes you all the way down to 2000ft, so this isn't your average roller. It's a full on downhill singletrack descent worthy of a downhill rig in some sections. The Superfly 100 was so smooth on the descent, it allowed for speeds far greater than I was used to on the hardtail. A quick little crash near the top should have been a warning that I was getting tired but I gathered myself quickly and was back to tearing down the mountain at warp speed.
I’d love to tell you that I kept riding at warp speed and caught Sam, then blasted up the return to Hanky’s and caught Jeff, placing 2nd and taking back my 3rd place in the points… but what was about to happen was the most horrifying experience on a bike I can ever remember.
So I’m flying down this descent. Not sure how fast I was going, but maybe 25mph??? I was barely on the brakes. I could feel my arms getting tired and pumped. Even my fingers were fatiguing from hanging onto the grips. Then just as I was coming around a sweeping corner I began to lose control of the bike. It was a steep section of singletrack with lots of big jagged rocks. I knew I was going down and I knew it was going to hurt. Then SMASH! As I tried to tuck and roll to the right, I went head first into a tree. My body flung around and I came to a stop lying on the side of the trail. My arms were up in the air like a praying mantis. I could barely move my legs. I was gasping for breath. I think Kevin was the first to stop, then Sven stopped. Sven decided to stay with me, giving up his shot at the podium. Thanks Sven, I owe you one buddy. Kevin carried on to let first aid know I was in serious trouble at the next aid station.
“Mike, you need to lay down, you have big cut on your neck.” Sven kept saying this over and over. I could tell he was extremely concerned. We laid there for a while as rider after rider passed. I kept telling him I was OK and I kept trying to get up. But something was definitely wrong. I had double vision and blood was dripping down my chest. I wrapped my jersey around my neck. I had no idea how bad this cut really was and I didn’t even notice the 5” long laceration on my forearm. I think I hit my helmet so hard that the chin strap drove right into my neck cutting it wide open. There's nothing like getting gashed wide open with a lycra strap. At that point, all I wanted to do was get off the mountain and down to my wife at the aid station. I even got back on the bike and started rolling down the hill again. But I was losing too much blood and the double vision came back quickly and I had to stop. Just then, one of the first aid girls got to me. She kept me company and got me to sit down on a log and wait for the evacuation crew to show up. About 30min later, they finally got there on the 4 wheeler and loaded me onto a stretcher. It was very slow go to get me the rest of the way out of the woods. I didn’t want to come out of the woods in a stretcher, and I was actually a little embarrassed about it. I knew my wife Mitch was going to freak. It also brings up the question as to how well prepared the NUE promoters are for this sort of situation. We all love to sign those waivers, but at some level, the overall safety for these events needs to be consistently provided for. But that’s a whole other bag of worms. I was just happy someone came and got me out of there. I just laid there looking at the sky as frantic helpers tried to figure out what to do with me. Next thing I know I’m in a helicopter on the way to the trauma center in Charlottesville as the hospital in Harrisonburg wasn’t going to be able to handle my injuries.
They gave me a good looking over and asked me all sorts of questions. I was actually thinking they would just sew me up that night and send me home… but as the E.R. doctor was on the way out of the door, she said, “I wouldn’t make any plans for the next few days.” I began to feel a little scared. They quickly moved me onto X-rays and CT-scans of the top half of my body. The news came back that I had 3 fractured vertebrae in my neck, a fracture in the base of my skull, and two fractured vertebrae in my back. The laceration on my neck was so deep, it had exposed both my jugular and carotid arteries. My heart sunk. Would I ever be able to ride again? Did I need surgery? The doc then gave me the good news that I was extremely lucky. She said the fractures were non-displaced, meaning that the bones were more or less just cracked and stayed in place. Most likely I’d just be in a C-brace for 6 weeks and they’d heel just like any other sort of bone break. She also gave me the good news that they were going to be able to stitch my neck and arm bedside and it wouldn’t require surgery… only pain killers and local anesthetic. “You must have had an angel there with you,” she said. “If the cut had gone any deeper, they wouldn’t have gotten to you time. If the fracture on the base of your skull was any larger, you could have been completely paralyzed and stopped breathing. I can't believe you have no damage to your nerves whatsoever” I didn’t know what to say. I just sort of brushed it off and chuckled at her. But the reality was that it hadn’t quite hit me as to what just happened.
Mitch, bless her heart, stayed by my side as they stitched me up and sent me off to the ICU. The next day, I was released from ICU. From there, I was on flat bed rest until the trauma team decided I was OK to release. Ryan O’Dell, founder of the NUE, stopped by and chatted with me for a while to get the story out to the press and let everyone know I was going to be OK. I was sort of in and out of it as whatever pain medicine they had me on, kept me pretty whacky, but I’m glad it did. Laying flat on your back for 3 days is like torture. Mitch slept in the room with me all 3 nights and made sure the nurses took care of me. She called all my friends to spread the news that I was going to be alright. Being laid up in a hospital is a terrible experience and I have nothing but sympathy for anyone that has to go through it. The doctors in the University of Virginia trauma center did a fantastic job putting me back together and I’m very grateful to have had such a good team working on me. Finally I was released, but dreading the 10hr drive home. Thanks to my father in law Dan O’Dea who soldiered out the 10hr drive solo through some of the worst downpours I’ve ever traveled in. I believe they even evacuated part of the highway the flooding was getting so bad.
Anyways, I made it home, and have begun the recovery process. It’s hard to believe I’m back here in my cubical when only 2 weeks ago I was almost killed in a bicycle accident. I'm sure this accident has left an impression with a lot of the NUE racers. Even the pro's make mistakes, and an accident like this is just a second away from hapenning out there when we're pushing the limits so far. It's something that's always in the back of my mind, but I've always tried to ignore it and just made the assumption that it wouldn't happen to me... but it did, and I was lucky. Makes me double take how I feel about racing. I mean I work a desk job, but I still need to be able to make it to work on Monday. But I think bicycle racing is in my blood. I still love this sport and I’m not not quite ready to give it up. It actually feels good to get back to normal. I have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon in a couple weeks to check up on the bones, but so far so good. Thanks for reading!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Stony Creek XC
It's been 10 years of racing now, and I can't remember one of those years not including at least one trip over to the local trails at Stony Creek for a race. My training has swung full gear into high intensity mode lately to get ready for the fall season of shorter races. Mitch has gotton really good on the scooter and we're like a team out there on the dirt rds. However my body is still adapting. The workouts are really intense and I always want to quit at least once before we're halfway through.
There was plenty of crazy fast talent present for our local XC series race. Christian Tanguy, Mark Parmelee, and Greg Kuhn to name a few. We took off and a group of 5 of us were riding together. Kuhn, Tanguy, Parmelee, J. Whitbrot, and me. By the end of lap 2, it was down to just me, Tanguy, and Parmelee. During lap 4, Christian made a super charge through the roller coaster and got a gap on Mark and I. Without my full suspension Superfly 100, I wouldn't have made back to his wheel on the rough singletrack. It was down to just him and me as we made our way out the pines. I was feeling pretty gased from Christians's roller coaster effort, and just couldn't seem to fully recover. Christian rolled away at the end of lap 4. I was doing everything I could to try and recover and keep my tempo up. Finally Mark caught me about halfway through lap 5. The legs were feeling better, but still not 100%. I punched it a couple times, but Mark was right on me. We both rolled into the finish and I just sort of rolled in behind him. Didn't have much left for a sprint. Congrats to Christian and Mark who both rode strong races. It was a fun race, and a really good workout. I think my finishing time was 2-1/2hrs! That's a pretty long XC race.
Stony Creek seemed like the perfect fitness topper for next weekend at Shenandoah, the NUE series finale! I'm currently tied for 3rd place in the points, so it will all shake down by then end of this weekend between SH100 and Park City P2P. I'll take it easy on the intervals this week and give the body a little time to rest and adapt. Hopefully I can continue my streak on the NUE podiums! Thanks for reading.
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