Tuesday Night Crits-Congrats to Jim Vidler

I managed to catch most of the D race tonight at the Tuesday Night Crits. Jim rode a great race, staying near the front and providing much of the horsepower to catch two breaks. He went for the win and finished in third. Very smart racing by Jim and a great effort to win coming out of the last turn.

Here's another bike event! Usery Madness April 17 . www.catchthemadness.com

Here's a Local Mountain Bike Event Powerline MTB Race in Apache Junction!
Looks Fun!

Devil's Punchbowl RR/Chuck Pontius Crit/AZ TTs

April 24-25 in Santa Clarita, CA. What could be better than a RR with 1500' of climbing per lap (two laps for Cat 4 women and Cat 5 men) and then following it up with a crit race (40 minutes for Cat 4 women and Cat 5 men) the next day? I'm planning to be there.

I don't want to race by myself so please let me know if you'd like to get a TWJ Racing team over there.

Southern California competition is a great way to see where we measure up. One of the DNA racers told me that it was an eye-opening experience to race against SoCal competition.

http://www.socalcycling.com/RaceAnn/2010/Punchbowl.pdf

http://www.socalcycling.com/RaceAnn/2010/ChuckPontius.pdf

Also, don't forget about Arizona time trials. On April 17 is a time trial down near Picacho. It's 30K and has a Merckx category (I shouldn't have to explain that one but Jim Vidler can probably give us a history lesson about TT equipment). Riding at or above your anaerobic threshold HR for 40+ minutes is an experience you should try. Tired of savvy riders drafting all the time and never pulling? This is your chance to show that you are the dominant rider when all drafting is taken away; that's why its called the 'race of truth.' Putting power down (and sustaining it) is the name of the game so big guys can do well.

http://www.teamcolleen.org/Events/default.asp?Year=2010&Month=04&Day=17

Finally, if cycling is not fun anymore, focus and reconsider. Like Darrall has reminded us, we should be having fun even as we race. Life is too short...

Steve Banta

Congratulations Nate Rees!

Nate got 1st place this weekend at the MBAA Sierra Vista Mountain Bike Race!. He raced Category 2's (15-18 yr)!

Wednesday Ride, March 24th-Tour De Phx Route

We are planning on riding the Tour De Phoenix route not Superior. Come join us at the shop at 8:45! It's about 80 miles from the shop. No sag (sorry).

Now that Superior is going to be rescheduled, Travis and I will be at our group ride (feels like forever). Yeah! Any suggestions for that day?

Mining Country Challenge, Sat 3.20.10

I decided back in November that I was going to conquer this advertised monster of a ride. So, of course, I really slacked off on my riding in November. I slacked off more in December, January, and then February came...uh, yeah, I better pick it up! Having only ridden a tad over 600 miles in 2010, I packed up my bike and drove up to Superior to start.

45 degrees, 30mph howling winds found me with nothing but my (proud wearing, I might add) Two Wheel Jones kit and arm warmers. I hunkered down in the truck until 7:45, then threw my helmet and shoes on, got a 1 mile warm up in spinning up the town streets to find where the sun was shining. It wasn't an organized start, but a start on your own type ride. I latched onto some unsuspecting souls and away we went, east on 60.

It was miserable. 30 mph crosswinds, darn near freezing temperatures, crazy drivers, sometimes little to no shoulder, and the first 20 miles were all uphill! I kept telling myself that I had one more gear on the bike that no one else had...the FEAR GEAR!! Hills really aren't my favorite, so I stuck it in low gear and spun as best I could, trying to pace myself for the advertised 96 mile ride with over 7000 feet of climbing.

After passing the first SAG stop and having a 1/4 of a PB&J, the going got a bit easier with some flats and a little downhill. Wait, there's more hills ahead. Ugh. I think the entire world passed me, but I made it to the top. Then, the reward on the backside...I got up to 49 mph on the downhill swing of that hill somewhere SE of Globe and NW of Winkelman. At that point, I didn't care how many cars were behind me or riders in front, I was flying!

At the 80 mile mark came the skull and crossbones for me. 3 miles of heavy duty climbing with the final 1 1/2 miles a true 10%-11% grade. That about killed me. Already spent from goinghefarthest I've ever been in one day (notice, I didn't say "sitting"), to look up at this monster hill and realize my legs are already feeling like lead balloons was rather intimidating. I stuck it in the lowest gear known to man, thought I would fall over on each revolution, looked about 5 feet in front of me and slugged away. I just counted, "one...two...three...four...one...two...three...four" over and over again until I reached the top! I didn't stop, didn't fall, and even passed two riders. Okay, one had given up and was walking to the top, which just provided me with more motivation. I think I picked it up from 3.8 mph to 3.9 mph when I passed him.

The rest was pretty much downhill into Superior again and I finally grabbed a group's wheel and coasted into town with them. Looking at my Garmin, I had only gone 92 miles, so I headed back onto the course, going backwards. I was going to ride 100 miles in a day, if it killed me. I got the strangest looks when people saw me going the other way. I was 2 miles short when I got back into town. It's amazing how far 8 miles is when you're totally gassed! So, I putzed around Superior's roads and then found a spot and did about 40 figure 8's in a parking lot to get my 100 miles in.

If you like climbing or just a challenge, this ride is for you. Of course, the craziness is interesting too. A Fry's truck came within 2" of hitting my left elbow just before the Queen Creek tunnel, the crosswinds literally blew me off the road into the gravelly shoulder, dead smelly skunks were about every 15 miles, I had to miss a dead javelina on the shoulder, the Bicycle Haus and Carlos O'Brien teamies can haul bootie, and one needs to come prepared for cold windy weather.

I will never look at Usery the same way again. I might still be slow, but it's an easy climb now!

superior ride on monday 3/24

sorry this is such short notice, me simon and mat are riding from florence junction to superior down the clime and out. 700am . you can call me if you would like to come 480-495-3823

Focus Crit

I loved the Focus Crit today...the course was absolutley amazing, perfectly paved, nice wide road, and easy turns...I really enjoyed it.
I went into today's race with absolutely no expectations, I did it at the last minute to race with Trish. We were grouped together and scored together with the cat 3 ladies. So honestly, my goal was to just not get dropped. Today I was given an opportunity by 2 very strong Cat 3 riders who took off and blew themselves up, which left the door wide open for me to suck the wheels of a couple riders trying to chase down Trish (Thanks Trish for making those girls chase you down)and then sling shot around them to catch Debbie, the 2nd place Bicycle Ranch racer. At first, I grabbed her wheel and was gonna just hang on and then I realized, she was spent and had nothing left. I was afraid to pass her cuz she is an experienced Cat 3 rider and I knew she would not pass up the opportunity to jump on my wheel. But I realized quickly that if I stayed behind her, I too would be caught by the pack. So I pulled out from behind her and took off to try to catch 1st place, I was mentally thinking that Debbie was gonna use me to recover and sling shot off of me at the finish, but I was gonna be happy with 2nd place. As we made the last turn we caught the lead girl who had taken off on her own on the last lap...I stood up and put the pedal to the metal, but was expecting to see 2 or 3 riders come flying past me any second. Much to my surprise and delight, I held them off and took 1st place. It was so exciting. That was so cool hearing the announcer say "that was rider # 569 coming across in 1st place for Two Wheel Jones!!"

I have to apologize to my team mates though as I made a comment after the race about working for Debbie. Honestly, it was not my intention or plan to work for Debbie OR to LET her win. I seriously thought she was gonna suck my wheel and then take me at the finish, so I figured when I passed her that basically I was gonna be working for her as she used me to get to the finish. Luckily, she had no legs to contest me. Thank goodness!

What an awesome and amazing day...thanks Trish for making me come race with you today! I'm with you...I love racing crits!!!! It's so much fun.

Kathy Connolly

Thanks Steve B.

Hey Steve B! I read the comment you added to Darrall's post regarding TBC and I really liked it! Thanks for the comment, it makes a lot of sense! I have made a platinum time decision. How about you guy's and gals? Are you in?

TWJ Podium finishes at Focus Crit!

Great Race today! CONGRATULATIONS to Kathy Connolly for getting first place! An awesome TWJ Victory!
Congratulations to Kendra our junior SUPER STAR for also taking first place in her category! She also rode a second race with us Cat 3/4 Women and really tore it up out there!

What did you guy's think about the crit today?
Thanks for all the cheering and support. I can still hear Travis yelling, "Close the gap girls! Close the gap!" I had a lot of fun and am really taking a liking to these crit races.
It was awesome once again to see all the team work going on during the races!

Darrall is going to be riding the Superior course this Monday. Darrall, what are the details on that?

Wednesday, we will also be taking a trip up and ride Superior. We will meet at the shop around 8:45 and drive to a meeting spot (TBD)!

Tour De Phoenix here we come! TWJ is gonna R-I-P I-T UP!

If the wind is at your back, chances are you're going uphill

I must have done something to make Aeolus mad today.

Pictures from TBC

Thanks Craig for letting me use your camera to capture these pictures!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12144407@N06/

great job at TBC

I'm proud of this team every one did there best and left it all out there. what a great time we had Steve, Travis, and, Shauna realy tore up the TT. little scary at the road race with the girls but thank God there were only cuts and scrapes. It did mess up the rest of their weekend as far as strategy goes and all the great work that Kathy Connolly had done in preparing, but they stayed troopers and finished Sunday strong. I was glad I could help out Steve in the road race and get him over the last climb after we had gotten separated from about a 12-man split off the front. Overall, we only lost a minute that day. I guess it could have been worse. On Sunday, at the circuit race, we did make up some ground. We tried to control the front, at least for a while. The final lap was really tough, and Steve and I stayed with the front as the field broke up. As we came around the final turn up to the finish, I didn't think I had anything left, but the legs responded and I was surprised to find myself sprinting for the finish with only about 6 others, and finished 4th. Overall, I am so proud of the team, and know that we will only continue to get stronger as we get more experience together. And above all that, we have to remember this about having a lot of fun and where we finish is not as important as how we ride as a team!

TBC

Travis - you're HR story is pretty funny. That's exactly why I left my HR monitor at home...I didn't want to know.

I learned from the TBC that I am stronger than I think I am...and that maybe, just maybe, I actually do have a chance to make that new 3:05 Pt time constraint for Tour de Phx. I will go absolute bonkers if I work my tail off aff and miss it by a few minutes like I did at Tour of Tucson Mountains.

I had a great time with my awesome team!! Love you all.

Kathy Connolly

new max HR

I was so happy with my TT results at TBC, I was able to put in my max effort with a really consistent HR. I really think the key was a great warm up. I built up to 185BPM and held that for the whole race with no spikes or dips in HR.

The next morning for the road race I did not warm up at all, figuring its a longer race I would warm up during the race. Mistake #1. Then I took 3 pulls at the front of the pack because I wanted to set the pace a bit quicker than the field was moving. I did not look at my HR during these pulls but my perceived effort was 75-85% max and the pulls were fairly short. These pulls were mistake #2. Apparently the race day adrenaline pushed me harder than I thought because I set a new max HR during those pulls 207 BPM. ooops

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27035635

Learning curve straight up, great lesson for me.

TBC Command Station!

We plan on getting there before 10:00 so we can set up and warm up! Bring your trainer and set up at the TWJ command station. We will have 2 tents with the TWJ vehicle. (whoever gets their first, please save a nice big spot for us)

Call me and I will update you on the arrival information that I have.

Good Luck to EVERYONE THIS WEEKEND! Kathy is going to lead the girls to VICTORY!!!! YEAH!

Also, did you hear the platinum times (perimeter events) changed to 3:05 for all genders! YEP! I have the article (in Trail Winds).

Clear your calendars for the team training ride for the Tour de Phoenix on March 27th!

3:05 here we come!!!!

For those going to TBC

Hello Everyone,

On Friday, it would be a really good thing if we all pit together at the TT as a team. I'll be getting there 2 hours early, and I think Mike & Steve are planning to be there fairly early too. I'll be in my truck, so I should be easy to spot. Then we can ride/warm up together as a team. A lot of the big teams at VOS operated this way and looked very professional for their sponsors. I look forward to seeing you all there. I know that we are going to have a lot of fun! Go Team TWJ!

Darrall

Team Training

Hi Team!
On the 27th of March, we will be riding a Tour De Phoenix route with the Brumbies. We are gonna use this time to do some training and learn some tactics. I'd really like to see as many of you as we can get there, but I know it's never practical to get us all together. I wish we had more time for training, but with all the upcoming races, it's going to be pretty tough. Next year we'll definitely spend more time early season preparing. Hopefully most of you are done with base or getting close to it. I'm going to get with Mark Bunz and put together some simple interval workouts for those who have never done these kind of workouts. It is good for building power and will definitely improve your riding. Hopefully by the 27th, we'll have this in a handout that you can have, and we'll do a little instruction on how it works.

Also, on my Monday and Friday rides, those of you who have any questions or want some advice, I'm always open to working with you one on one. I will do my best to help you with whatever your needs are. Some of the upcoming Mondays and Fridays though, I will not be available, so make sure you let me know in advance if you want some one on one time. I'm really looking forward to this race season, it's going to be a lot of fun, and we are all going to learn a lot.

Thanks Team,

Darrall

San Tan Crit

I posted a comment yesterday, as I couldn't blog. So here's the comment I wrote since I am now a blogger. Thanks Trish for fixing me!!
The San Tan crit was awesome. The women's Cat 4 race was at 1:15. I showed up about 12:15, got signed up and then went out to warm up. Hit the start line nervous as can be since everyone was telling me not to do it (mostly to stay safe & unharmed for Tucson), but that's why I was doing this crit... as prep for Tucson. This was officially my 1st crit race ever. I liked that it was 40 minutes, gave me time to figure out who to stay away from and where to be in the turns. We had a couple close calls, but everyone managed to stay on their bikes. But man, some of those girls need to take a skills and drills class! I hung in and even led a few laps throughout the course of the race but made my move with 1 lap to go and followed another rider up to the front. I was 2nd goind into the last lap. The rider who was 1st backed off and dropped back which left me out front. I figured, this was not where I wanted to be so dropped back a bit as well. Hindsight is 20/20, but looking back I should have pushed with everything I had to stay out front. I jumped on the lead wheels and hung in tight. Came around the last corner, stood up and gave it everything I had. Somehow I managed to finish 4th and it just made my whole day. I am so stoked and even won $15. I know many people are gun-shy of those crits, but I absolutely love every minute of it. Does that mean I'm warped in the brain? I just have one thing to say....Two Wheel Jones Racing is in the house and we are coming to Tucson baby!

Kathy Connolly

Kathy C. smoked the crit, she placed 4th! Let me know how everyone else did.

Also on March 13th and the 27th the Brumby's are going to ride the Tour DE Phoenix route! I am not sure the times yet (I will find out) but this would be a great opportunity to check out the route and ride together as a team. Next week is TBC (the 13th) so some of us won't be there, but let's all try and ride it on the 27th together.

Phoenix Crit is on Thursday this week not Tuesday!!!!

Good Luck with the San Tan Crit. I want to hear all about it..... I know that there are at least 5 racers who are going to be there!

San Tan Crit Rollcall

Who is racing at the San Tan Crit tomorrow? I'm trying to determine if there are enough of us to have a "team pit area."

Thanks,
Steve Banta

FYI- You can also access the blog without signing in by viewing the website www.twowheeljones.com and looking under Two-Wheel Jones racing. There's a link "Orange and Blue Riders Blog.

Cafe Mix after the Crit tonight (Tuesday, March 2)

Come around 6:30 at Cafe Mix at McKellips and Greenfield even if you didn't participate in the crit! They have Greek and American Food.

Crit starts for D race at 5:00. It's located on the southwest corner of Priest and Van Buren.