Slow going... to FIRED UP afterburners

Don’t get me wrong, I love to ride my bike. It’s a great outlet, physically and mentally. But sometimes there are stretches when I get a few rides in a row that are a slog mentally and physically. I’m riding slower than I want to. I’m fit, but my mind is dull, and isn’t cracking the whip. And the ride goes without the mental spark, the inspiration, to spur my legs to break out and bump up the pace. I started thinking my legs were losing power, and my trusty reserve hammer option was evaporating.

But then on my last ride, which was going at what was a slower pace than I wanted for a lot of miles, I got inspired. Another rider blew past me at about 20 mph. That was it. I jumped on it and was immediately given a sweet little challenge: Catch the rider and draft.

I was amazed at all the sudden energy I had in reserve. I caught the rider and we traded draft positions for the last 11 miles of a 51-mile ride. That mental boost was refreshing, and made the whole ride for me. It was the flash I needed to break out of my mental doldrums. It’s true most of my slow rides have lacked any such fast rider challenges. Riding solo, I wasn’t finding any inspirations to pick up the pace along the way. It was like my mind had forgotten how to flip the power surge switch to the legs.

I think the way to fight through mental doldrums on the bike is to keep an eagle eye toward finding little motivators to pep things up. You might want to beat a split time during the ride. You might see a tree far in the distance and make up your mind to sprint toward it just to switch up the pace. Or, my favorite motivator, you might get suddenly passed by a fast rider and decide you will get on that rider’s rear wheel and stay there. If you can do that, then pass them after you’re rested.

The old truism, “mind over matter,” for the most part, is really true. If you’re fit, your body will respond to a mental command to step it up, even without a double shot of caffeine!

It’s a matter of finding a way to jolt the body into higher performance. Kind of like a team that is losing, but isn’t fazed and remains determined to find some way to win. It takes a bulldog’s mind that refuses to stop trying to break into a positive direction.

And when that way is found, strong riding returns. The mental shackles are broken, and the fun of riding comes rushing back.

So if you’re looking for motivations to spark your riding pace to a higher level, and find one, or if one just shows up unexpectedly, there’s only one thing to conclude: The mind is the key to ignition. And the mind needs to be fed motivations just as much as the fit body needs to be hydrated and fed for maximum performance. So keep looking for motivators to ride stronger and pedal a satisfyingly fast ride. And when they appear, jump on them, let them work for you. They’ll break you out of the doldrums and accelerate you into the freewheeling feeling of optimal pedal power.

Gettin’ in tune

Ever wonder what they actually do when bike shop mechanics tune your bike? Check this out, good info:

In other words, make sure: everything is clean, lubed and oiled, the brakes work properly, shifting is smooth (adjust if not), cables have the right tension, (aren’t frayed and are lubed at openings), nuts are tight, tires aren’t overly worn and have the right air pressure.

And if possible it’s a good idea to verify with your own tools or get a second opinion when a mechanic tells you you need to replace your chain or any other major component. After being told I needed a new chain, I went home and measured it, only to find that my chain had plenty of life (stretch) left in it.

Until next time, remember to strap on a helmet before every ride, then keep the rubber side down. Stay safe, and most important of all, enjoy!

-- Mark Eric Larson

Mark Eric Larson has written two books of essays, "The NERVE...of Some People's Kids," and "Don't Force it, Get a Bigger Hammer. To read, visit: 
http://www.scribd.com/Mark%20Eric%20Larson/shelfHis blog of personal essays is at: http://marksmuzings.blogspot.com/

The stunning beauty of an autumn ride...

Went on a ride with a couple buddies on Saturday in the Sierra Nevada’s Hope Valley, where the air was crisp, the sun was high, and the golden stands of aspens were out. This was where as a kid, I went camping, hiking and fishing, and like few things in life, it was just as it had been many years before, untouched by the encroachment of development.

We rode up to Carson Pass and Pat took the lead, hammering hard toward the top. For some reason, my hammer brains weren’t on board, and I was perfectly happy just pedaling, and soaking in the amazing high altitude beauty. That’s something I haven’t done enough of on long rides out of town: just pedal and not be anxious to push hard throughout the ride. Sometimes the energy level is lower, and I figure it’s an opportunity to slow down a bit and notice the big picture of riding in a beautiful setting. I definitely haven’t done that as much as I should. Because with the pushpushpush mentality on a ride, it really is impossible to take in the surroundings. You’re too busy trying to catch your breath, and gather your energy for the next push. So when I got to the top of Carson Pass, there was Pat, recovering from an all out effort. He had pushed hard, and this, being high altitude, can make it easier to red line. On the way back down, I pulled over to check out a group of classic cars, whose drivers had stopped in a widened part of the two lane road to check out the view.

Normally, I wouldn’t stop. But this time, I didn’t feel in a hurry. There was a black 57 Chevy, and some beautiful old Ford roadsters with immaculate paint jobs. One, with very cool real looking flames painted on its side, had a little dachshund peeking his head out of the passenger window. Had to take a photo of that, and the view.

We road back down to Hope Valley, then continued along the valley and climbed into the mountains another 12 miles to Blue Lakes. The pavement was like new, the scenery of mountains and meadows, amazing. Cars or trucks driving by in either direction were scarce. The air was crisp. No wind. Great conditions for a ride.

The main lake at Blue Lakes was almost drained of water, as the end of two years of light winters has taken its toll on most California lakes and reservoirs. There’s a dire need for the upcoming winter to be one with plenty of rain and snow, otherwise big time drought will hit California. We ate some snacks and shot the bull about the pros and cons of carbohydrate vs. protein  nutrition for cycling and running. I used to overdo carbs when I ran marathons. Now as cycling is my main thing, I lean toward more protein nutrition, and it seems to work better to generate energy than carbs. But everybody’s different and everybody has their own nutrition combinations for optimum performance.

Riding the descent from Blue Lakes back to Hope Valley was the best. Top speed was about 44 mph with big sweeping turns at the top. Then the road flattens out with enough of a pitch to keep you cruising along at an easy, semi-fast clip. Pedaling is only needed here and there to keep the wind rushing past your ears. 


We met up at the truck and decided to drive down the road so Pat and Brian could find a place to buy some lunch. I packed some eats in a cooler.

We were about to turn off the two-lane highway, but a road biker was riding slowly in the middle of driveway, effectively blocking us as we tried to pull off the high-speed highway. This guy, with hot bike, full kit on, helmet, was riding like an idiot. Had no idea there was a truck behind him, trying to get around him.

Roadies that make moves like this are why drivers hate cyclists. Major cluelessness, not bothering to follow simple rules of the road. We’re in the truck, all of us cyclists, and we couldn’t believe this guy’s stupidity. Anyway, it’s a good thing to keep in mind. There’s animosity between cyclists and drivers for a good reason. Both do bonehead moves that anger the other. It’s a tough problem that will probably never be completely solved. Only a huge education campaign for both cyclists and drivers on safe operation in the others’ presence might work to generally raise awareness. Meanwhile, the anger, arrogance and unawareness continues to result in driver/cyclists accidents.

We ate our lunches on a picnic table in the sun outside of the café, and it was a great way to end our 35-mile ride, with 3,000 feet of climbing. Basking in the sun, having some sandwiches, apples, corn chips, we were fully relaxed. All that was needed were some hammocks for a little snooze. But we drove back, feeling pretty lucky to have been able to do a ride in the middle of an absolutely stunning undisturbed setting, courtesy of Mother Nature.

Stretched chains need a changeout

Meanwhile, here’s some great general information on road bike chains, and their proper replacement. Good stuff to know, check it out..

I got a chain measuring tool and it’s worth it to give periodic checks of how much your chain has stretched. Having it reminds me to do the check. Before I had it, I tended to forget how much mileage I’d rack up on a chain and would wait too long before getting a new one. And that’ll wear out your gears a lot faster than necessary.

Until next time, remember to put on a helmet every time you get on the bike, and keep the rubber side down. Ride smart, have fun and be safe.

-- Mark Eric Larson

Mark Eric Larson has written two books of essays, "The NERVE...of Some People's Kids," and "Don't Force it, Get a Bigger Hammer. To read, visit: 
http://www.scribd.com/Mark%20Eric%20Larson/shelfHis blog of personal essays is at: http://marksmuzings.blogspot.com/

Cheetos jersey a'comin', belly shedding secret...

Well, my recent quest to find a Cheetos bike jersey hit paydirt. After seeing one on another rider stopping for a rest, I saw the telltale orange “Cheesy Riders” jersey, and, being a lifelong Cheetos lover, knew immediately, I wanted one. The guy said his was given to him for loaning his bike to a guy in Texas who worked for Frito Lay. After some searches on the internets, I came upon the Cheesy Riders.org. It is Frito Lay’s national cycling team made up of cyclist employees, spouses and friends. Cheesy Rider bike groups are in Dallas, Portland, Ore., Cincinnati, Chicago, Mountaintop, Pa. and Purchase, NY. They do organized rides to raise money for charity and partner up with Enable Network at PepsiCo to promote active cycling and support charities like the National MS Society. So I sent in an email and asked about how to get a jersey. Not long later, Vince Hicks responded, saying the way to get a jersey is to raise $300 for one of the Cheesy Rider fundraisers such as the Dallas Bike MS, to get a free jersey. Or, you can buy one for 50 bucks. So I sent in my check to Denise Chochrek, senior research analyst at Frito Lay in Plano, Texas, and I anxiously await its arrival. Definitely will pass on a photo of it in an upcoming blog. This thing rocks!

By the way CheesyRiders, I have no doubt you have no small number of Cheetos eating cyclists in the Sacramento area. This should be your next chapter. I’ll help! And I’m sure there are a lot more potential CR cycling groups around the country.

Among the activities they tout for CR riders are:

• The Jersey

• Raising money for good community causes

• CR Happy Hours

• CR training schedules and rides year round

• Cycling experts available for training and equipment questions

• Bike shop discounts in some areas

• And overall, it’s a fun fest.

Yes, validation is nice

I was resting at the halfway point of my regular 51 miler the other day, when an older couple and their protective Pomeranian walked up.

“How far you ride?” asked the friendly man.

“About 25 miles,” I said.

The smallish gray haired woman, probably his wife, looked me up and down as her jaw dropped.

“You just rode 25 miles?” she asked, absolutely dumbstruck.

“Yes,” I said. “I’m only halfway home.”

She kept her gaze on me, trying to process the information I’d just given her.

“You must be in pretty good shape,” she said, still trying to wrap her head around the idea of biking 25 miles.

“I ride a lot,” I said.

Then the man grabs the bottom of his beer belly with both hands and pulls up.

“Be pretty hard with this,” he laughed.

“Get on a bike, you’ll lose it faster then you’d think,” I said, as the Pomeranian started an unsolicited barkfest at me.

They waved goodbye and walked on, really friendly nice folks.

For several years I had a belly that I didn’t have much luck with losing until I started cycling regularly. But putting in regular time in the saddle I shed it in fairly short order, and was amazed.

But I have to keep cycling, or my big belly will return, no problem. So that’s a nice motivator to stay in the saddle!

That’s why I tell people I know who lament the difficulties of losing weight: Get a bike and ride it regularly. Magic will happen. It’s absolutely true.

Til next time, make sure and put on a helmet every time you get on the bike, then keep the rubber side down at all costs. Ride safe and fun.

-- Mark Eric Larson

Mark Eric Larson has written two books of essays, "The NERVE...of Some People's Kids," and "Don't Force it, Get a Bigger Hammer. To read, visit: 
http://www.scribd.com/Mark%20Eric%20Larson/shelf
His blog of personal essays is at: http://marksmuzings.blogspot.com/