Team News

Team Turkey Trot- The Annual Tradition

December 10th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Multi-Sport Athlete

The Turkey Trot is a long-standing running tradition that began as far back as the early 1900s. I heard on the news over the Thanksgiving weekend that a turkey trot is now the most popular annual running event in the US with hundreds of thousands participating each year. Turkey trots are also known for benefitting local charities. Let me share with you a little turkey trot tradition I have.

For the last four years, a few members of TEAM OAM NOW have gathered with friends and others in the triathlon, cycling, and running communities at a local trail for a slightly less traditional version of the turkey trot. Seidman Park is home to several miles of single track trail used for hiking, running, and cross country skiing. We have fondly named our run the Bloody Knuckle Turkey Trot due to the rugged conditions of the trail and the multiple falls one unnamed team member managed in a single loop around the park.

The month of November typically signifies a return to running for me. I usually take the month of October off from running and focus on mountain bike racing. I started my ease back into running with a 2-mile run one week, a 3-mile run the next week, a 4-mile trail run the week before Thanksgiving, then arrived at this year’s Bloody Knuckle ready for my 4^th run since September.

An invitation to the event is extended to the members in the Athletic Mentors Cycling Group on Facebook and to other friends and family by word of mouth. We have had as few as 5 and as many as a dozen runners in prior years. This year we were faced with continual rains the day before and the day of Thanksgiving, yet 8 brave souls showed up and were willing to run through the woods, burn some calories, share post run donuts and coffee, and just enjoy each other’s company. There were quite a few other runners and cyclists passing by the park as well, and we served as an interesting aid station with our coffee, hot chocolate and boxes of donuts.

While there is no entry fee for this run, we did collect donations to benefit Freedom in Motion, a local organization that collects old bicycles and bike parts, refurbishes them and provides them to those in need. Their cause seemed like a great match for us and we raised over $120 with our small group and also donated some bike parts as well.

We do have an official podium ceremony, complete with turkey crowns for the 1^st and 2^nd place finishers. This year, new OAM NOW team member, Danielle Nye took the top turkey. I rounded out the top 3. Thanks to some course navigation errors made by some of the male competitors, the ladies swept the podium. Team members Jim Allan and Bob Schultz were also attending their 4^th Bloody Knuckle.

I just read in teammate Kaitlyn Patterson’s blog, “If it is not fun, you’re not doing it right.” This is so true and a great reminder never to take yourself too seriously that you don’t have fun along the way. I think running around in the woods on a rainy morning with friends and teammates chasing a turkey tiara is pretty fun. If you are interested in joining the fun next time, keep your eyes open for the Bloody Knuckle – New Year’s Eve Edition.

My First Year With Team OAM NOW- Peter Chadwick Reflects on the Transition from Runner to Cyclist

December 4th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Peter Chadwick– Team OAM Now Cyclist

My cycling career started with a suggestion from Dr. Matellic from Orthopedic Associates of West Michigan, who told me my running career was over, in particular running marathons. He indicated that cycling might be a good solution for me since I liked to do long endurance events. Initially I was reluctant, but kept the thought of what he said in my mind.

I purchase a road bike, but I had no idea what to do. I began to ride with the club side of Team OAM / Athletic Mentors on Tuesday’s and Saturday’s where they spent time helping me become a better group rider. As I progressed, I felt fortunate when I was allowed to join the team this year as a member of the Elite Club Team. I probably have driven most of my teammate’s crazy by asking a bunch of questions throughout the last year, but they have always been so gracious in their answers so that I can learn to become a better cyclist. I have spent a lot of time watching how various cyclists ride their bikes throughout my rides as well as races.

I entered Barry Roubaix and the Lowell 50; it was a huge challenge for me to ride gravel, but my teammates were very supportive. As my confidence has grown, I decided to enter some races. Initially, I was quite concerned but with the help of the team, I found my apprehension lessening. I entered Tour de Frankenmuth, Le Tour De Mont Pleasant and Maple Hill Race for Wishes. Each of these road races were at Cat 5 level and with each one, I was able to improve my cycling skills. By the second race, I ended up in the top ten and the final race at Race for the Wishes, I ended up 6th.

I went to a team sponsored event to learn about riding in a criterium. This event helped me understand some of the things that go on during races which were extremely helpful. It’s another great example of our team giving their knowledge and time to others. I did take on another challenge to attempt to ride in the Gaslight Criterium. This most certainly was stepping outside of my “comfort zone”; however, I needed to have another challenge. Not knowing necessary what to expect or if I could handle this type of ride, I found out very quickly that it’s a different kind of ride than a road race in that there was no letup throughout the race from corner to corner. Finishing the race was a great accomplishment for me and I am thrilled that I did it.

The last race I did was the Lowell 50 which as most know is a gravel race. Being a wet and cold day, it forced me to handle my bike better. I was very happy with my results as my overall time was better than the Spring Lowell 50 and I ended up 5th in my age group.

I know that riding in the “club” and Cat 5 is at the beginner cycling levels on the team, but it was a big change for me. Going from what I loved in running marathons, to cycling was a big deal for me. This basically started all because of a suggestion from Dr. Matellic at OAM for which I am forever grateful. I also would like to say that I appreciate all my teammates for their help since I started cycling.

Lessons from a Cinderella Season: Patterson Reflects on Stellar 2015 Season

November 29th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM Now Multi-sport Athlete

This spring if anyone had told me that in six months I would be one of the fastest mountain bike riders in the Midwest and a dark horse contender at Iceman, I never would have believed them. This season still seems a bit surreal as I managed to defy anyone’s expectations, especially my own.

It is often said that there is more to learn when you lose than when you win. Although I was able to enjoy a fair share of winning this season, the year was not without lessons, and I believe I learned something valuable every race.

Race smart
This is a cardinal rule of road racing, but is sometimes underappreciated in cross-country events. However, with my favorite races being fast, open, point-to-point events, making good decisions and thinking fast are crucial. The biggest thing I learned about winning races is to either make decisive moves or conserve energy, nothing in between. As the miles ticked down at Ore to Shore and Mindy and I battled for the win, I couldn’t think of anywhere I could make a decisive enough move to get away, especially with net elevation loss and a group of guys fully capable of bridging me back. Although I was not confident in my sprinting ability, I waited on her wheel until the final stretch and squeaked out the win.

I knew Iceman would be my greatest test of racing smart as the field was extremely talented and experienced. With the course conditions lightning fast, the race turned tactical after a lead group of five of us got away from the field ten miles in, including decorated riders Chloe Woodruff, Georgia Gould, Katerina Nash, and Erin Huck. Nobody was keen on pulling, so I led more than I should have, but this also allowed me to lead through the singletrack sections (my weakness) to avoid having to chase back on. Despite multiple attacks on the group, nobody was able to split it up, and it looked like the podium would be determined in the finish venue. I figured if we all entered Timber Ridge together, I would likely take fifth as I didn’t have as strong of skills or explosive power as the others. Instead, I decided to play my card on the final sustained climb leading to Madeline’s trail. Unfortunately, the move was not strong enough and too early and the group easily responded. We hit the base of woodchip hill together just before entering Timber Ridge and I saw what a truly definitive attack really was as Chloe and Georgia powered away. With no matches left, I couldn’t respond to anything and took 5th. I was thrilled to be able to be a contender in a world class field and learned from racing with the best.

Be aware of race dynamics
An important part of smart racing is to be aware of the external factors that will shape the race dynamics. The biggest part of this is knowing how the format of the race start will influence the dynamics of the women’s race. In large mass start events like Ore to Shore or Cheq 40, it is crucial to be strong and assertive at the start to get in a fast group of guys. This pays dividends to be able to draft instead of chasing throughout the race. Although huge mass starts make me nervous, I found that focus can bring calm and confidence. Keying on an experienced female racer’s wheel at Ore to Shore helped me to block out the surrounding chaos and set me up for a great race. However, at Cheq 40, fending off panic in the opening rollout cost me the opportunity to race in a faster group and contend for the win.

Many races use wave start formats with relatively short intervals between waves. Here, it was important to know if there will be a faster guy’s race catching my field that would pull my race back together or allow me an opportunity to catch a faster wheel. Being aware of these dynamics were important to my wins at Arcadia Grit and Gravel, Peak2Peak and Michigan Mountain Mayhem.

Race calendars and goals should not be set in stone
Although I had intended to be a multi-sport athlete this summer with a mix of mountain events and tris on my calendar, this had to be reconsidered after an IT band injury. It turned out GR Tri would be my first and only tri of the season as my running was sidelined for weeks following that race. However, this gave me the opportunity to focus on my cycling and I added Maple Hills Race for Wishes as well as the State Championship TT to my schedule. These both proved to be valuable experiences and the focus on cycling through the summer paid off in my fall mountain bike results.

Don’t let expectations limit performance
It is undeniably valuable to think through race scenarios, make game plans, and set goals. However, the reality of a race situation does not often match expectations and there are many factors more important than sticking to the game plan. My splits through the bike leg of the GR Tri were much faster than even my most ambitious projections and, with a lot of racing left, this made me nervous. However, the effort felt sustainable, my HR was reasonable, and I decided to disregard my speedometer and go for it. This paid off and I was able to hold the speed and take nine minutes off my bike split last year which set me up to win the race. This phenomenon happened again at the State Championship TT and I was less intimidated by the speed and took the opportunity to see what I was capable of.

Be confident
Training and racing is undeniably a game of confidence. Its presence or absence can be the determining factor of a breakthrough performance or a subpar race. I learned to manage my own fickle confidence by trying to avoid being intimidated my competitors’ training or previous race results. Although experience is valuable, each race is a new challenge and past success does not determine a race outcome. The race will be determined by who is the strongest and fastest on that day. Also, a huge component of maintaining confidence through a season is having a strong support system. I could not ask for more in this area with my family, Alex Vanias, Team OAM NOW, Athletic Mentors, and my community behind me.

…but not too confident
As I just mentioned, past success and results are never a guarantee of future performances. I went into every race this year expecting a battle, no matter what the field looked like on paper. This allowed me to be mentally prepared for the challenges of every race.

Remember why you are out there
Although we train to race fast, the time spent out there is hardly a means to an end. My summer was not just highlighted by race results, but by group rides with friends and teammates, getting to know a new community, exploring new trails and routes (and making my Strava heat map reflect it), and chasing Strava segments. If it is not fun, you’re not doing it right. I had a ton of fun this season and I am excited for the coming year of racing for Team OAM!

2015 Highlights
Mud, Sweat, and Beers-1st
Arcadia Grit and Gravel– 1st
Conquer the Village– 1st
Grand Rapids Tri– 1st (new 70.3 PR of 4:30)
Maple Hills Race for Wishes– 1st Cat 4
Hines Drive TT– 1st (25.4mph for 40k)
Ore to Shore– 1st
x50– 1st
Glacial Hills State Championship– 1st
Chequamegon 40– 2nd
Boyne Highlander– 1st
Michigan Mountain Mayhem– 1st
Peak2Peak– 1st
Iceman Pro Women– 5th

Iceman: Quest for the Podium

November 16th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Chris Abston, Team OAM Now Cyclist

ICEMAN!! Why is this race one of the best races of the year? What is the allure of this famous race? It’s a race with so much history and is recognized not only nationally, but also worldwide. This was the 26th year of this race that is deemed the largest point-to-point MTB race in the country. It started in 1990 by a few guys who wanted to see if a mountain bike could make the trip from Kalkaska to Traverse City. 35 eager participants made the trek. Now, this year over 5,000 participants took on the challenge to conquer the historic event.

The first year there were no prizes just the satisfaction of accomplishing the goal. This year, the total purse was a whopping $61,430.00. So, as I look at this race, comprised mostly of fire roads, two track and some single track, just shy of 30 miles with about 1,700 ft. of climbing, I ponder why this race is so important to many. The race is not technical by any means. Thank god because its no secret that I am not a very good technical rider. I would call it a time trial thru the trees and forest. A pure hammer fest. No real pre-riding is necessary unless for the last 4 miles or so because that part changes from year to year. I started racing bicycles 4 years ago at the ripe old age of 48 and I feel like I am still a neophyte.

My first Iceman was in 2011. It was only my 3rd race ever and my first MTB race, so I really had no training guidance other than just riding hard all the time. A few days prior to the race I was a little off and not quite feeling 100%. After registration on Friday, I started to develop a fever, but I didn’t know how high. When we arrived at our friend’s house, I was surprised that my temp had spiked to 102. I was unable to get any sleep that night and also unable to get the temperature to budge. My wife and friends tried to talk me out of the race, but I was bound and determined. I was not about to let a fever stop me. As I warmed up, I started to develop a cough, but it seemed mild. As the race progressed, the cough started getting worse and by the time I finished I could not stop coughing. I crossed the finish line with a time of 2:27:57 on my old 1999 26” Cannondale hardtail. Unfortunately, I wasn’t up to sticking around and enjoying the festivities that were taking place after the race so we packed up and went home to Livonia to rest for the remainder of the weekend. My symptoms hung on so off to the doctor I went. It was determined that I had developed pneumonia. I wasn’t able to work for a week. It was just awful. For what? A race. A silly race that placed me 54th out of 92 in my age bracket. What was it about this race that I felt so compelled to compete in when my body had other plans?
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Tri-Season Wrap Up from Team OAM Now’s Brian Reynolds

November 4th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Brian Reynolds, Team OAM Now Multi-sport Athlete

Now that fall is upon us in Michigan, the triathlon season is officially over. So, let me update you on my 2015 race season since the Grand Rapids Half Ironman-distance which was the last time I posted.

Decatur Triathlon, Decatur, Ill., July 12th – This was my first warm and humid triathlon of the season. In addition, it was first time I started in a elite wave which was humbling. The race distance was in-between a sprint and olympic. The one lesson I took away from this experience was swim in a group and not by yourself! The bike was hard after a tough solo swim and the hills at the beginning of the bike did not help. The run was miserable due to the heat and being fatigued from the bike. I finished 5th overall in the elite wave and had the fastest run split by a few seconds.

Ready or Not 5k, Otsego, MI, August 1st – I’ve been doing this race since my freshman year in High School. The race is put on by the Otsego Running Club. This race was one of the highlights of the year for me because I finally won it. In years past, I’ve always finished 2nd or 3d to collegiate runners and finally there were no collegiate runners this year 🙂

USAT Age-Group Olympic National Championships, Milwaukee, Wi, August 8th – This has been a staple race for me every year. I’ve been doing this race since 2013 and it’s always been at the same venue so I can compare my results to other years to measure my progress. I traveled to Milwaukee with my Athletic Mentor teammate Elaine Sheikh who had a great race weekend by finishing in her age group 4th in the olympic and sprint distances. Congrats Elaine! This year I set a course PR with a 1:57:02. I was happy with the swim since I was not swimming with a crowd like last year. My swim time this year was a PR. The bike section, however, did not go as well. My time was slower than previous years, but I was happy to not get a drafting penalty like I did last year. The run section went great. I was only a 2 seconds off per mile than last year when I was in really good run form. Overall, I was happy with my finish which was 9th in my age group and was on the medal podium.

Michigan Titanium Half Ironman Relay, Grand Rapids, Mi, August 23rd – This was the first triathlon relay team I’ve participated in and it was a lot of fun. My relay team was Athletic Mentors which included Paul Raynes (bike) and Erin Young (run). I did the 1.2 mile swim so it was a good opportunity to see how fast I could go without having to bike and run afterwards (even though I still did to get a workout in. I started with the female participants in the half-ironman race. I ended up finishing 3rd overall in the swim section. I was just 9 seconds behind the leader. I felt strong in the water and had an opportunity to practice drafting behind faster swimmers that I would not normally swim with. It was unfortunate that they had to cancel the event due to lighting, but our team was on pace to finish at least 2nd overall.

3 Discipline’s Michigan Championships, Detroit, Mi, September 6th – I did not plan on doing this race at the beginning of the year, but thought I had to squeeze in one more race before my “A” race at ITU Worlds in Chicago. The course was very flat for the bike and run which would be very similar to the conditions at Chicago thus it would be a good prep race. My goal was to push the swim and bike and tempo the run. The competition in the swim section was a lot more competitive than I anticipated. In the first 5 minutes of the swim, the lead pack was nowhere to be seen. I had a good transition into the bike, but halfway through I began to fall off pace. At the end of the bike, I had no idea what place I was in due to the sprint and duathlon events going on at the same time. When I got to the run section, the temperatures were approaching the low 80’s thus my tempo pace was challenging to maintain. On the bright side, I finished 2nd overall. I knew going into this race that I would not be at my peak, but my confidence was tested going into ITU Worlds at Chicago.

ITU Age-Group World Championships, Chicago, Ill., September 19th – I qualified for this event last year at USAT Nationals in Milwaukee. This was my 2nd time participating in this event. This was a worldwide event which meant that it would be a very competitive since I’ll be racing against the top athletes from several different countries. Going into this race, I did not have a lot of confidence since I haven’t had a really strong race performance since Grand Rapids Triathlon. However, learning from last year, my coach Mark Olson had laid out a good taper plan. Leading up to this event, my runs had gone great, but I felt that my bike performance was lacking.

Our wave started at 10:30am. The starter let us into the water (Lake Michigan) 1 minute before the start. When I jumped in the water, I immediately lost my breath due to the cold. I did deep breathing exercises to get my breath under control and slowly submerged my face in the water to let my body calibrate to the water’s temperature. Luckily, I got my breathing under control 5 seconds before the gun went off. The first 200 yards were very clustered and rough. I got hit in the mouth which cut and bruised my lip. Despite the clustered swim, I stayed calm and kept my stroke long and smooth to conserve energy. After 200 yards, I was passing several swimmers because they over fatigued themselves at the start. I gradually moved up and got behind the lead swimmer in our group where I held my position the last 1000m. I felt great during the entire swim.

The bike pacing was erratic due to the fast, slow, moderate paces from navigating around riders and turns. The bike course was a 2 loops. The 2nd loop was very crowded due to more athletes from the other start waves now racing. There were a few points where I had to put in hard efforts to move up a few places to stay close for my age group competitors. If I was able to hold a steady effort this would have been my best bike split ever. Overall, I felt strong and under control the entire ride.

I had a very good run and once again it was my strongest section of the triathlon. I had the fastest run split for my age group and the 2nd fastest run split overall. I was running a 5:24-5:28 pace the first 4 miles. I started to fatigue after 4 miles, but still held on strong. The run course measured long at 6.6 miles instead of 6.2 miles which I did not complain since it gave me an advantage.

My overall time for the event was 1:58:41 which placed me 8th overall in my age group; I was super happy about that. I was surprised by this good performance which goes to show that you can still surprise yourself even after 14 years of competing.

This race punctuated my season with an exclamation mark. I ended feeling really good about my work, my achievements, and of course, training for next season.

Spring Training in the Rearview: Looking Back As We Look Forward

October 30th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Richard Landgraff, Team OAM Now Cyclist

When I look back at the season, a successful one with amazing team work, it’s easy to see that those early races, like the one I describe below, are vital to our performance later in season. Not only do early events give us good insight into where we stand in the field, but they also give us strategy ideas and motivation. Earlier this spring, I wrote about the Men’s 1/2/3 A Race for the final Waterford Spring Training circuit race. The 60+ field was met with 15-20 mph wind early on, which strung out the field from the very start of the 90 minute event when TEAM OAM NOW’s Dan Yankus attacked from the gun. The rest of the race, in hindsight, captures a lot of how the season went for us, and so it’s great that we have this detail to look back on as it helps us determine how these early races foreshadow our season performance.

Early on, Dan was able to get a significant gap on the field with another rider and put the team in a good position out of the wind for the first 20 minutes of racing. As the field slowly reeled in the pair, Dan’s 5 teammates were vigilant at the front of the field, covering the flurry of attacks trying to bridge to the group. The duo was ultimately caught which initiated various surges by other riders including several by TEAM OAM NOW’s Alex Vanias and Colin Snyder.

At about the one hour mark, it looked like a promising move by about a dozen riders would have the ability to stay away, as the majority of the teams were represented including Cory Stange and Peter Ehman from TEAM OAM NOW as well as several riders from the two Canadian teams present in the field. Ultimately, however, as the group grew after several riders bridged up, it became too large and was quickly absorbed by the fast moving peloton.

And then when it was least expected, sometime shortly after a prime lap, Alex Vanias rolled off the front and immediately created a gap from the field. Sensing that this may be a race winning move, Rudy Peterson (Northstar Mentors) bridged up to Alex and they started to put some significant time on the main pack despite the gusty headwinds encountered on the run in before the hill and on the back stretch before the finish.

TEAM OAM NOW was vigilant on the front, following wheels and covering attacks in order to preserve the two man breakaway. With about 20:00 left to race, an attack by two Canadian riders was covered by TEAM OAM NOW’s Masters rider Richard Landgraff and the move quickly gained about 20 seconds on the field. The Canadian mates were riding strong, with no assistance from Landgraff who was basically along for the ride, and eventually began to put some time into the Vanias/Peterson breakaway. A third chase group was also lead by Dan Yankus and several other riders which was sure to make an interesting finish.

In the end, however, only the two lead breaks stayed away independent from one another and Peterson won the dramatic sprint over Vanias, with Landgraff coming in 5th behind the two Canadian riders. In typical fashion, sprinter Cory Stange was leading the hard charging peloton toward the line and won the field sprint for 6th.

All in all, it was a pretty good showing. The rest of the season turned out great. Dan continued to burst out of the gate, Corey continued to win field sprints, Alex continued to create and maintain gaps in the field, and we showed, as we normally do, amazing teamwork that allows us to win podiums. As we prepare for winter training, it’s great to look back so we can prepare for those early spring races. We know what to work on. We learn how to outperform ourselves. As we look at the close of racing season, it’s just as important to look back as it is to look forward.

Racing Not for the Podium, But for the Cure

October 16th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete On September 19^th, a dozen Team OAM NOW athletes volunteered their morning to support the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure West Michigan. Instead of toeing the line to race, we were there to lead out the runners on the 5k course. Dressed in our blue, white and orange kits, we stood out in the otherwise sea of pink. I accessorized with some hot pink arm warmers and pink Cancer Sucks socks in celebration of my friends and family who are breast cancer survivors.

The Susan G. Komen Michigan website cites the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series as the largest series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world, raising significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrating breast cancer survivorship and honoring those who have lost their battle with the disease. It also states, “Since its inception in 1983, the Komen Race for the Cure series has grown from one local Race with 800 participants to a global series of more than 140 Races with more than 1 million people expected to participate in 2015.” Surprisingly, the lead car was not pink and actually matched us!

Statistics given on the website estimate 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. It is difficult to find anyone who has not had a friend, family member, or co-worker impacted by this disease. My friend Jennifer Jurgens is a survivor, as well as the Executive Director of Susan G. Komen West Michigan, and will stop at nothing to save lives from the potentially deadly cancer. That is why I wanted to help support this event by leading out the hundreds of runners Racing for the Cure. After escorting the lead runner to the finish line, I found the best part of our involvement was cheering for the runners and walkers as they crossed the bridge over the Grand River to the finish. I kept thinking some of these men and women have thankfully crossed a bridge and are survivors and some might still be looking for a bridge to cross to get over to the other side. Giving high fives and seeing smiling faces crossing the bridge to the finish made me thankful there is hope for a cure so every 1 in 8 that are estimated to get breast cancer will survive.

Team OAM NOW is always on the lookout for ways to partner with local events like Race for the Cure. It is a great way for us to give back when we are not racing. Our team members are committed not only to training and racing, but also to supporting healthy lifestyles. We were happy to have the chance to help raise awareness for breast cancer and be a part of such a wonderful event. It was a nice opportunity to gather members of our women’s cycling, masters men’s cycling, triathlon and club teams together.

Team OAM Now’s Tristan Visits Colorado to Prep for Cyclocross Season

October 1st, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Tristan Greenhouse, Team OAM Now Cyclist

As I often explain to my roadie counterparts, cyclocross isn’t so much a discipline of cycling as it is a mindset. The mindset of a ‘cross racer is one of excitement and adventure. One where your response to your buddies half-joking proposal of a ludicrously difficult ride is a full-hearted, “Lets do it!”. One where every race morning is greeted by the giddy excitement of a child about to open his presents on Christmas morning. As the ‘cross season is just around the corner, there is a collective sense of excitement amassing among us mud-junkies as we await the first race of the season. The tires have been glued, the bikes have been built, and our skills honed during the off-season. Now, all we need is for the starter to blow his whistle and we’re off.
As a ‘cross racer, I love to ride my bike, whether it is during a race, a fun training ride, or even a set of hill repeats. My coach would probably tell you I love riding a little bit too much. During a recent week-long trip to Colorado, I almost couldn’t be contained. On my first day there, I had the chance to ride my cyclocross bike at Valmont Bike Park, site of the 2014 Cyclocross National Championships. With a dedicated sandpit, two sets of dedicated stair dismounts, and lots of flowy singletrack, this was by far the coolest course I had ever ridden. There was even a pump track (although I doubt it was intended for cyclocross bikes)! Before the trip, my coach had told me to just take it easy and do 60 minutes of Z1/2 in order to acclimatize. While I managed to keep my effort level contained, I couldn’t help myself and rode for over 100 minutes. Over the course of the next 5 days, I rode my MTB for about 3 hours a day in Durango and Gunnison and somehow managed to contain my ride time and efforts despite my overflowing excitement.

As the last day approached, my excitement overtook me and my planned 2-hour training ride went out the window. Starting in Buena Vista, I rode up the paved side of Cottonwood Pass, a 20 mile climb at 5% average with several sections approaching 12%. I made it to the top, put on some gloves and a vest for the descent down the other side, ate the breakfast burrito stashed in my back pocket, and I was off! The descent down the backside is a 15-mile dirt road descent strewn with deep ruts, washboards big enough to be confused for a pump track, and loose rocks the size of a small melon. On a cantilever ‘cross bike, there wasn‘t much I could do in terms of slowing down, so I let it rip. Once I got to the bottom, I turned around and went straight back up!

I couldn’t help but be in awe of where I was as I rose towards 14, 000 ft. peaks and looked down onto a sparkling reservoir below me. As I crested the 12,000 ft. pass, I knew my climbing was behind me, and I let it rip down the pavement descent. Nothing feels better than passing a 35 mph speed limit sign while screaming down the mountain at 55 mph on 25c tires. After the ride, I texted my coach and told him that if we halved my ride time and rounded down, I had done the workout to perfection. At least I stayed in the right zones!
As I prep for ‘cross season, my coach had me do a hard week full of intervals and FTP efforts. At the end of the week, a rare and beautiful ride description was entered into Sunday’s Column: Choice Ride! I was so excited I couldn’t contain myself. I immediately messaged my buddy Jesse, asking if he wanted to ride the 62-mile Barry Roubaix route. It was a mere formality, as he is always game for just about anything. This is the same guy I can always count on to show up to group rides in 50 degree rain and agree to do the long route. He is even crazy enough to travel all over the midwest with me this year racing a full cyclocross calendar.

As we embarked on the route neither of us had ever done before, one of the first things out of Jesse’s mouth was, “Wanna do a lap on the ‘cross bikes at Yankee when we finish?” As the ride panned out, I was feeling good, so I decided to go for it. Unfortunately, we got a little lost on the 62-mile route as neither of us had ever done it before, but that didn’t deter us from doing 15 miles of Yankee Springs on the 33c tires afterwards.

Although we might look crazy, covered head-to-toe in mud, with wild fans screaming at us from the sidelines, cyclocross racers certainly love to ride their bikes. I think not only is ‘cross fun for the type of courses it provides, but also for the atmosphere it caters to, as many of the riders simply love to be on their bikes. So, if you want to really become a ‘cross racer this year, ride every race for the fun of it, and ride every training ride for the adventure that you will get. And if you see me out racing this year, don’t forget to heckle me!

Summer Skiing Secret to Winter Success

September 29th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Alex Vanias, Team OAM Now Multi-Sport Athlete

Cross country skiing is often considered one of the toughest sports. It is aerobically demanding and requires continual explosive movements. As you can imagine, doing repetitive single-leg squats while doing pseudo ab crunches to push the ski poles can be very fatiguing over time. In addition to the physical demands, technique is crucial to skiing. The most fit athlete does not necessarily win ski races unless they have efficient technique. It becomes increasingly difficult to maintain proper form when fatigue sets in. This is why it is important to train for skiing in the summer.

I don’t do structured workouts for skiing in the summer, but I try to ski 2-3 times per week. This is primarily to maintain my technique and sport-specific efficiency for skiing while I am building fitness by riding and running. As a multi-sport athlete, I do not spend a lot of time on off-season training since I am training and competing in summer sports. However, because maintaining technique in skiing is so important, I do prioritize fitting in summer rollerski sessions.

You may be wondering how somebody can ski in the summer. Well, there are these sketchy contraptions called roller skis. These are essentially long roller blades with a wheel on each end and a ski binding mounted to them. Regular winter boots fit into the bindings, although lighter and cooler ski boot models are available. I use regular ski poles but replace the baskets with special roller ski tips. The tips are carbide and need to be sharpened with a diamond file roughly every 50mi so they bite into the pavement.

One of the biggest challenges of rollerskiing is stopping. Rollerskis generally have no brakes, so stopping safely takes careful practice. The wheels and bearings are not made for speed since they are intended to mimic the speed of skiing on snow. I generally average about 10-13mph on a normal ski, but can reach speeds of over 30mph on downhills. Because of the speed and difficulty stopping, I always wear a helmet; all it takes is a pebble or crack in the road to send me through the air. I make sure to scout out the roads I plan on skiing to make sure there are no stop signs at the bottom of hills and there is an appropriate shoulder and low traffic. There are many suitable areas for rollerskiing in northern Michigan, but it becomes more challenging in more populated areas. The US Ski Team (sarcastically) explains some various rollerski stopping techniques here.

Rollerskiing is a quirky activity, but it is a valuable component to my training. Juggling the demands of multi-sport training can be tricky, but varying my sports and training make me a better athlete and help me improve in each individual sport. In addition, challenging different muscle groups helps keep me injury free. I understand the importance of sport-specific training, but I think that many people underestimate the value of variation in training and racing.

Overall, I’m excited to start to ramp up my running and ski-specific training this fall for hopefully my best ski season yet!

Patterson Places 2nd at Chequamegon in a Test Against the Best

September 25th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM Now Multi-Sport Athlete

My second season of mountain bike racing has been a progression of increasing challenges and quite a few surprise wins. After buying my Giant Lust 2 last April, I have been able to climb the ranks of Michigan mountain biking with the help of Alex Vanias’s experience and my fitness from running and triathlon. After a surprise win at Ore to Shore, I decided to make the trip to the Chequemegon Fat Tire Festival in Hayward, Wisconsin for another test against an elite field. Starting in Hayward and ending at Telemark resort in Cable, the Chequemegon 40 is the largest mass start, point to point mountain bike race in the country. The town of Hayward is famous for also hosting the Birkie cross country ski race which I raced this past February. Much of the Cheq 40 is on the wide Birkie trail as well as gravel roads and features a lot of climbing late in the race. With no real technical challenges, Cheq 40 is considered a power race which is consistent with my strengths.

The weather on race morning was perfect and the atmosphere was electric as 2,100 racers convened in downtown Hayward. I was granted a starting spot in the elite start gate and attempted to not be intimidated by the impressive cycling talent surrounding me or the thousands of racers behind me. I navigated the nervous rollout without incident, but I was a bit farther back in the field than I wanted when we hit the dirt at mile three.

The course was more wet and muddy than I anticipated, but I was feeling good and moving up with every climb. I caught several of the female riders I knew would be contenders and by the famous OO road crossing at mile 16, I was neck and neck with five time champion Jenna Rhinehart. I was able to get some feedback from spectators and learned I was in second place about two minutes down on pro rider Chloe Woodruff.

I was riding in a large group of guys, but nobody would help pull the group on the open gravel roads. This was extremely frustrating since I knew Chloe was up the road and nobody would work together. I was happy to arrive at the famous “Fire Tower climb” 11 miles from the finish, and I dropped my group up the rocky steep climb. At that point, I didn’t think I had a chance at catching Chloe, but I wanted to secure my runner-up finish so continued to push every climb solo.

It was an amazing feeling to descend the last hill into Telemark resort and hear the announcement that I was the second female finisher. I was directed to the podium area immediately following the finish where I had a chance to meet and chat with Chloe Woodruff and Jenna Rhinehart, two of my cycling idols. They were both very down to earth and both impressive athletes and people. The experience was surreal and I was thankful I had mechanical-free race and was able to rise to yet another challenge.

The remainder of my fall racing calendar is much closer to home with the northern Michigan staples of Gravel Grinder and Peak to Peak, but the major focus is my goal of a podium finish at Iceman in November. This season has been an amazing ride so far and I’m excited for the weeks to come!