New bikes and more speed.

My new bike except trade the red for force

    So, I finally got my new bike. It is a Blue RC8. I have been really excited about this day for a very long time. Today was the day that I got to ride my very own full carbon road bike with Sram components on it. I have dreamed of having a nice road bike for years and now that it has become a reality it's all kind of surreal. 

    I went from a 21lb Giant OCR aluminum frame to a Blue RC8 full carbon 16lb 4oz road eating maching. 

   The Blue RC8 is a lugged carbon fiber frame. It carries a modest 2lbs 8oz between all of its lugs and all the stiffness a manufacturer could engineer. The RC8 is one of the nicest bikes I've ever ridden. It is a smooth ride, handles very nicely, the thing decends like a bat out of hell- and ascends like one too. 

 

   I am probably the happiest young man on the face of this earth. Tonight when I lay my head down on the pillow- and lay awake for an hour or so because my heart is racing because my mind want stop thinking bikes- I can only dream of my bike. 

   Check them out at rideblue.com or just click the link that says "They aren't all blue".

  Have fun, 

    I know I am 

          T Crotts

P.S. Pait you better watch out I'm coming for you.

Wind blows, pain hurts, and TTs are hard

 My TT bike with the wheels I used tonight. (Minus the aero bottle on the down tube)

  Tonight was the 3rd Donaldson Center race against the clock. The second one for me. It was also the second real TT I've ever done. 

   Time Trials are a thing of beauty and the people in this world who have it down to a science are some of the most gifted disciplined people who walk the earth- or pedal a bike for that matter. Time Trails are different than most other races. They are a solo effort, man and his machine against the clock and his brain- especially in my case. 

    A good time trialist doses his effort out over the whole distance. The maximum effort he can preform for the entire TT. The Fabian Cancellaras and Levi Leiphimers of the sport have made an art form of being able to know their bodies and accuratley pace themselves over any distance against the clock. 

 

     That leaves people like me. I have done two full on TTs in my life- technically 3 but one was a climbing TT and I didn't give it much. I have done countless efforts against the clock and bike legs of a triathlon, but none of those are the  kind of effort a TT requires. TTs aren't like an interval, people preform those with the intention of going at a set pace for a short amount of time- it can be a long amount too, but still- and they have the intention of doing a similar effort following a rest period. TTs are all the rider has and its all for the whole time and nothing afterwards. That is so easily said but nearly impossible to do properly. 

    Last time at the TT I did a decent job pacing myself. This time I borrowed a friends Zipp disk wheel- it gave me some false confidence- and I thought I could go harder because: 1. I've done more training 2. I've done a TT before and 3. I had one of the fastest wheels in the world- I ended up putting too much into the first part of the TT and forced my body into recovery on one of the hardest sections of the course. Needless to say my goal of having a faster time than last time wasn't achived. 

     

     I learned two valuable lessons tonight: 1. Go easier at the beginning of a TT and ease into the effort and 2. You can't by speed. I guess technically you can but my experience proves just becuase you have a fast wheel doesn't mean the racing legs- or mind- can keep up with the wheel.

  

    At first it was hard for me to see the good in tonights experiences and I was actually rather disappointed with myself. I guess thats part of what this blog is for, it helps me sort things out and find the good in a bad situation. 

    I can't wait until the next race, August 6th, when I will not be expecting a better time just a better overall performance at this discipline. 

    

    Have fun, 

    

          T. Crotts

Start Hard, Sit in, Suffer, Attack, Blow Up

   That is the way to race the Blair Cup crit. NOT!

   Thursday night was Blair Cup number 3 and one of the hardest races to date for me. This one ranked right up there with the Lees McCrea Road race. 

 

    The race started really hard. I was in a bad position on the line and it just went down hill from there. We were gunning from the beginning because some guys decided to make a break and everybody went crazy. So, the people on the front chased really hard while I dangled on the back of the main field, knowing better than to be back there I tried to get in the middle on every lap- didn't happen. Anyway, lots of suffering, chasing, breaks, and catching of breaks. 

    The race is the standard 4/5 length of 35 minutes plus 3 laps. With about 7 or so laps to go the group absorbed a break right on the hill of the course. I saw that I had a clear line through the group and everybody was slowing down. I was already out of the saddle to keep up with the group and figured what the heck I'll give it a go. So, I stayed standing hit it a little harder and got a gap on the field. 

     I was out all alone for two laps. It was cool to come around on a lap by myself and hear the announcer say my name. I was dying by the second lap by myself. Did I mention it was 95 degrees? I thought I was going to hurl. Then going into turn 4 and the hill on the course I looked back to see Jonathon Pait out of his saddle breaking from the field and bridging up to me. I smiled and sat up a little. As Pait came up beside me we acknowledge each other with a nod and a smile Pait was having too much fun standing up and going fast so I just sat up and waved him on. Looking back I should have gotten on with him we probably could have done something. I went back to the field and sat in until we pulled Pait back. After about a lap of that I caught Pait and simply said, "Hurts doesn't it?" I was reffering to the pain of the attack. We kind of rode together just fast enough to stay on the lead lap.

   After a month of good spirited trash talk the better man won in my opinion. According to the results Pait placed 20th dead last of the people on the Lead lap. I got a DNF, which I will protest, because i was on the other side of Pait and they didn't see me. (we finished side by side) But Pait was kind enough to let me sit on his wheel for the last two laps and he was the stronger man Thursday night. 

   I learned a lot about racing Thursday night. I learned that its better to do something than nothing. That attacks hurt really bad and are best saved for closer to the end or earlier in the race. I learned that opportunities present themselves and taking advantage of them is easy, committing to them is something totally different. And that racing my bike is really fun. 

     So remember.... 

 Have Fun,

  T Crotts 

Going Slow

  Speed is relative. It is a feeling. So when reading this blog keep that in mind. 

  I have always liked to go fast on my bike and pretty much everything. Speed is fun. Going fast gets your heart pumping and when that happens your body releases chemicals that make you happy. So naturally I like going fast. 

  I recently was informed that to go fast you have to go slow. At first I assumed that John was just making stuff up, but then I realized he was right. I ride pretty much the same speed on every ride I do and that is bad. 

  So today I went out and did the slowest, easiest ride I have ever done. In three years of riding the slowest ride. It was not really that bad to go slow, I really needed it. 

  Thursday night I did a TT out at Donaldson center. I was hoping for better than a 24:18 for the ten mile course but thats about where John said I would be. That just means I'll do better next time. For the first leget TT i've ever done it wasn't too bad. I paced my self well and caught the guy in front of me at the 5 mile turn around. I didn't get caught be the person behind me so it was all good. 

      I'm going to be going slow for the next week or so. 

 Have fun, 

   T Crotts

For a man of little words

     I experienced something I have never experienced in my entire life yesterday. I have been caught up in a bit of trash talking that was not instigated by me. I'm serious that has never happened before. I love talking crap to anyone about anything, and this time - finally - I'm not starting it. 

     There is a man who lives in Greenville, he races with my boss - sort of my boss-, he is a frequent customer of Sunshine, and he finished behind me at the last Crit race we did. That part is important, he was behind me. This man's name is Jonathan Pait. Pait is a mild mannered 40 something guy who rides a bike pretty well for a guy of his old age and lack of hair. (That was an intentional cheap shot at him personally just to make him mad.) 

     So, apparently, Pait is supposed to be stronger and faster than me. He is a Cat 4 racer and he has some fancy power meter and he knows how to use it. But here's the catch, he isn't really faster than me. If I want to be I think I am faster than him. (We never really drag race at the right times, i'm sure we will soon.) I guess he thinks because he beats me on a few group ride sprints he is faster than me. Which, I will give it to him if you win a sprint you are faster at that sprint- that I can not deny. But, next time hopefully he'll bring what he's got and I'm going to show him what I've got and we shall see. 

     Anyway, back to the story. One day I'm working on a bike at work, minding my own, when out of the blue Pait says something about how he's upset because I beat him at the Blair Cup crit. I was taken aback. I never really thought of Pait as a trash talker. He's the kind of guy who just likes to show he's better than you rather than telling you. And show you he will, maybe. 

     Well at this Saturday's Hour of Power, that is a group ride that the shop does - loads of fun and sprints, Pait was supposedly gunning for me. I believe the words were "lets crush him". I wasn't feeling my best and I had previously taken a less experienced rider up the road with me to try to give him some glory, Gary is a cool guy and deserves a little help. So Pait and John come flying around me about the time I pulled off to send Gary attacking like a wild man, I said "You've got it." That was to Gary not to Jonathan as he suspected. Gary didn't attack and I just sort of rode up the hill at the Quarry and went on to join the group at the stop sign. Pait won that sprint. I had nothing for him there.   

    Later in the ride we came to my favorite part of the ride, the state park sprint. The lead up starts up this really steep hill, we usually attack the group there and get a gap. Then it kind of false flats and flats for a few 1000 meters and starts to drop down hill where it the kicks up to the entrance of the Paris Mt. State park, first one to the park entrance wins. Well, Pait was at the front setting a good little pace, but it wasn't enough- It usually takes John's old creaky legs to get it spun up to sprint speed- so I shouted at Pait, "MORE PAIT!!" and John told him to pull of and laid it down with me in tow. John pulled off and I carried it down the hill spinning my little compact big ring wildly. I pulled off and John jumped to go, he's old so he didn't go long and said, "You've got it." So not willing to waste any energy since John gave up I sat down. Then Pait comes blowing around us and takes the sprint. (Did I mention that earlier in the ride Pait made a rookie mistake and tried to sprint in his 39 ring and I smashed him?) 

      I guess pait was satisfied because after that we just hung out and talked about ways to win the Blair Cup. We ended the ride and Pait never actually said anything to my face about his prowess out on the road that day. Pait left and Saturday drew to a close. Then yesterday I read his face book and saw that he had written a blog about our little throw down. And so this is my reply. 

                 Pait if you want it you know where to find it. Come get some.

   Remember kids have fun, Mr. Pait and I are having loads of it.

     T Crotts

Blair Cup race #2

      Crit racing in Greenville. The Piedmont Orthopedics Cycling Team put on another great race tonight. Loads of fun and speed. 

      Crit racing is probably the sketchiest way to go fast- other than down hilling in a shopping cart. Crits are scary. Especially when people that don't know how do ride bikes go fast try to do them. But other than that they are pretty fun. 

     My goal for tonight was to finish with the lead group. I achieved that goal and pulled a top 10 finish placing 8th.  

     The course was a fun one. It had one hill that was the decider and the attacking point for most - it was also the finish line. The course is really cool, you only have to work really hard on that one hill and the rest is pretty much down hill or you can carry momentum through the parts that are flat or slightly up hill. 

      Fast laps and lots of fun. 

           Have fun,

          T. Crotts

p.s. sorry for the lame post.

Half the legs= half the speed= WRONG!

 

  Inspiration strikes around every corner. Life leads us to some interesting turns and opportunities. In my life I have had the chance to be around some pretty amazing people, and once again life has not let me down and has introduced me to yet another amazing, passionate, strong individual. 

  I recently started a new job at Sunshine Cycles, which is the best job I've ever had btw. I have met lots of cool people through work. But by far the coolest person is a man named Bryant Young. Bryant has one leg. He is an above the knee amputee, he only has a hip flexor in his left leg. His right leg is fully functional. A few years ago Bryant decided that he was going to show his children and everybody else in this world that would pay attention just what exactly living is for. Bryant decided to set a goal and do his damndest to accomplish that goal. Bryant decided to use his disability to inspire. He decided to get a bike. He walked into Sunshine Cycles and said, "I want a bike." John James and Dave Clark, two of my colleagues, talked to Bryant for several hours and they tried a few different combonations and eventually worked out a rig for Bryant to ride- it is a very nice Specialized Roubaix with a high end Shimano mix and some super fast Zipp 404s. 

   Bryant has been riding for several years now and is a stud. All of his power goes to the bike in one leg. The guy puts out like 550 watts or more. He does 20 minute intervals at 240 watts - with one leg. He climbs Paris Mt.- the local hill in G-ville, its like 2 miles long or something I'm not really sure but its more than I would do with one leg. He takes pulls at the Donaldson Center rides. He hangs with the group at the Hour of Power. He is amazing. 

   On one occasion, the first time I rode with Bryant, I was challanged to try to do a hill that Bryant does with one leg. The group came to the base of Oakleaf Rd or Dr. or whatever and I unclipped my left leg and let it dangle beside me. I began to climb with just my right leg, this isn't a very long hill but it's just long enough to experience immense pain and suffering- especially with one leg. I made it most of the way up the hill, that is until my front wheel jumped off the ground I tried to stop and unclip and I ended up falling down. The guy is strong!

   Bryant has started a non profit organization called Amputee in Action. The purpose is to spread the word about amputees and their abilities and how they can do something athletic if they so choose. Bryant, for example, is going to compete in a TT at Nationals in Oregan and will hopefully make the National team or better yet he will be invited to spain for the World Championships. The guy is going to do something impressive regardless even if he just show up and wows everyone with his charm and wit. 

   To put it simply he's amazing, did i already say that? Check him out at http://amputeeinaction.org/ or come do the Saturday morning shop ride at Sunshine Cycles, we leave at 7:45am. 

   Have fun

 

     T Crotts