Indoor Training Plan

Most of you out there in Radioland are probably like me and are under house arrest due to the snow.  I have been at work and have been busy doing work stuff, snow plow, shoveling snow, moving aircraft, and fueling aircraft.  So, I've been busy.  Now I am at home I am a prisoner of my own making, or whatever.

I've decided to do some research on the best indoor training for the Spring Racing season.  Then I decided that would be too much work and workouts are too specific to each person, therefore it was a lost cause.  My solution to the problem:  Turn the TV on to one of the million channels that has nothing on and watch it.  Make sure you have a supply of beer that will last yourself at least three days.  Get comfortable on the couch, or the bed, make sure you have plenty of pillows.  My suggestion is that you put a cooler next to wherever you have planted yourself (that way you don't have to get up to get another beer).  The only thing you have to get up for would be the bathroom, or if you are really dedicated to your training you will employee the use of adult diapers, this will save countless trips to the toilet.  Problem solved.

Make sure you have a supply of snacks all within reach (no need to get up to eat).  Frozen pizza, burritos, chili Frito pie, nachos, chips and dip.  Be sure that you will be able to take short naps, to keep the workout marathon going at least for 24hrs.  I  would also suggest having beer that is stronger than 3.2% so that you really get the BAL to a lethal level.  What does not kill you makes you stronger.  If you are really hard-core don't eat at all, just drink, this will ensure that food does not interfere with your bodies ability to absorb alcohol.  One thing about watching TV while drinking heavily, after awhile you will have TV in Stereo (seeing double at this point).

If you would like more training tips just ask in the comment section I would be happy to help out as much as possible.  I have some great tips on element training, like turning the heat up as high as it will go and wearing snowgear indoors.  You name it I can help with your problem areas of your training. Nutrition, Time, Intervals, ATP, FTP, SOB, NAPA, FUBAR.

**Everyone here at Sprinting the Belllap/Belllap Brewing do not advocate underage drinking, so for the kiddos out there please substitute Red Bull or sodas with massive amounts of caffeine, and lots and lots of sugar and candy.  Also, please drink responsibly if you are out and about, otherwise irresponsible drinking at home is highly encouraged.**

Thoughts and Prayers

I just wrote how the Bicycle has given me a 6degrees of separation that is unlike any that I have experienced or will ever experience.  Cyclists will find each other in a room of 1,000 people, you could be the only two, and you will know.  You might have nothing in common, well except for the fact that you love to ride a bike.  And, that is all it takes.  Don't get me wrong, not everyone that rides a bike is great or someone that you should know.  That being said, I met Mike Guillen...you guessed it...riding bikes.  Wednesday Night Rides, Tuesday night Crits, and local races. 

Mike is the kind of guy that will give you the last beer, shirt off his back kind of guy.  He formed a cycling team in Air Assurance Tulsa Connect, he spearheaded Cycle Fandango (one of the best rides in the whole world) *I have not ridden the whole world, but for my world....One of the Best.  Mike is the kind of guy that you say "one of the nicest guys you will ever meet".  That is a phrase that we probably overuse, but for Mike it is one that fits. 

Team,

I just wanted to write to ask for good thoughts and prayers for Mike Guillen of Team Air Assurance/Tulsa Connect. He's been in Colorado snowboarding and was in a bad snowboarding accident yesterday. He was knocked unconscious and once he came-to, the medics thought he was ok as long as his wife, Melissa watched over him. Early this morning, he started having seizures and they rushed him to the trauma center in Denver. Doctors believe that he has a small bleed in his brain and that he has a fractured vertebrae in his back. He is in ICU, and they are waiting to talk to the neurosurgeon to find out what steps they will have to take going forward.

As many of you know, Mike is one of the best guys around. Eternally optimistic and always ready with his warm smile and a good word. He has Mel at his side, and two small boys to look forward to going home to.

Please send up your prayers for a speedy full recovery for one of our own.

Sincerely,

Nic

Update:

Message from Melissa: Neurosurgeon should be here to see Mike around 5 PM. Mike does have a brain bleed, fractured T-6 vertebrae in his back, chest blow trauma & neck trauma. He is in significant amount of pain, but is coherent and seems to be fairly good spirits considering.


Keep up the good vibes to Mike G!

Nic

Please keep Mike and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Bluring lines

Snowmageddon, the Mayans got it wrong the world is ending now, or at least you would think so by the way everyone is reacting.  You are probably stuck at home with 200+ channels of nothing to watch and your family is driving you as crazy as you are driving them.  I'm stuck at work, Literally.  My car is stuck and the battery is dead, even if I could drive, the side streets are so bad that I probably would get my little car stuck.  So, being stuck at work is not completely horrible.  I am not stranded somewhere on the road or at least my car is not in a ditch or smashed by someone in their Tonka Toy SUV.



After



Before



Yes I have been sleeping here at work, I have been able to shower, but my food supply is out.  I planned for three days, but have eaten for two of those days.  I put in a fairly solid 12hrs of work yesterday moving snow with a plow, shovel, fuel truck, and much cursing.  For some reason people think that if they can drive to a place then it should be in operation.  I made it to work  because of strategic planning (I left before the storm got too bad for my little car).  Most of my employees did not have the foresight to come to work, REALLY...who would do something like that????

Anyway, I am taking a little down-time to chill and regroup before I go out and do more battle against the snow and the elements.  My thought for the day or past several days, since my brain is fried, is the Bicycle and it's ability to create class equality.  You are thinking, What?  Stay with me here and I will try and explain what I have come up with, or maybe I have been working out in the cold too long.  We will see....



If they had the category "most likely to do nothing with their life, but pump gas" in the year book I probably would have gotten the most votes for that one.  I am a blue-collar-name-on-their-shirt-lower-middle-class-worker, whose job supports my habit of cycling.  The bike has given me the access to people who are Doctors, Teachers, and Professionals.  People I would most likely not get the chance to socialize with because of Class, but because we have the bike in common we become equals once in the saddle.  Because of the bike I have met some of the best people, people I would have never met if it were not for the common thread of the bicycle.



The measuring stick on the bike is your ability, not your bank account, not your diploma on the wall, and definitely "not your f-n khakis".  You can be a 15yr old kid in a peloton of people 2 and three times your age, but you are not seen as "a kid" you are just another rider, and sometimes you are "that kid" as in that really fast kid.  You know the one, the one that attacks out of the saddle on a climb and makes you want to kill them.  At work some of you wear scrubs, a suit and tie, business casual, or some of you might have your name on your shirt.  We are all very different people from all walks of life.  A transformation takes place when we put the kit, the helmet, and the sunglasses on, and we are on a ride together.   We all look the same, act the same.   We become the same once we shed who we are and what we do, and become cyclists.

El Capitian

Team Mates,

I have read some commentary re: this video as the last whimpering of a great champion. I am afraid these experts have missed the point. I am not sure what Fignon would say of this day in the saddle, but I am sure it wasn't his first bad day. This clip was from the Giro in 1992, Fignon bonked on the Passo Giau, and his team mate DeWolf pushed him home, fed him, and gave him the jacket off his back. Fignon finished... probably snubbed the reporters, and started the next day.... He finished the Giro that year. What I observe in this video points at the essence of the cycling life:

We are a TEAM.... bonded by the most efficient machine created thus far in our history. One might say it was the job of DeWolf to look after an aging Fignon, but I beg to differ.... DeWolf stopped and gave Fignon the jacket off his back, and his gloves. This is the perfect demonstration of that bond that we label as Team (team mate, crew, etc). I would dare to say this is the pinnacle of our sport.... That in our weakest moment (as in our greatest moments) we stick together, feed each other, push each other, and when needed give the coat from our shoulders. Fignon and DeWolf developed this bond after spending time together in the saddle. It takes a bit of time to develop this bond that writes great stories....

Come ride with me... come write a chapter in the cycling life.... a paragraph... a sentence.... an exclamation point...

If nothing else just come out and push me up the hills... give me food, and remind me that I was once Le Professor the champion.

mbeal

Mbeal is my El Capitian on the cycling team that I ride with, part time contributor to sprintingthebelllap and full time commentator.  He is the epitome of cycling, was born on the wrong continent, and there should be old yellowed VeloNews' with articles about his accomplishments  -But alas Mbeal is an everyday cycling mortal not too unlike you and me.  Or is he?  He is, except for his incredible knowledge of the two wheeled race machine, his adept artistic ability, his taste in music, his love for family and friends, and his culinary/beverage appreciation. 

Paper or Plastic

So Alberto, still going with the bad Spanish beef story?
Taco Bell is getting sued over the mystery content of their taco meat.  I say we put Alberto on the job, he seems to know what is "in the Beef".  What happened to "Where's the Beef?" it's now "What's the Beef?"  Do you have a beef with me?

There is a little snippet with Andy and his "thoughts" on his friendship with Alberto, and his feelings of losing the Tour.  Nice to see some daylight now that it looks like el numero uno is going to be siting out for a year.  Why is it only a year?  Has anyone read between the lines?  I thought it was a mandatory two year suspension?  Hey I don't know anything.

The Spanish Federation slapped Alberto on the wrist, if they would have given him the two year suspension he would have to give up 70% of his salary.  Which would be about 3.5million euro.  That's a lot of steak dinners.

While most everyone in North America will be watching the Super Bowl, the Tour of Qatar starts on Feb 6th, and runs through the 11th.  I'm still researching on how to keep up to date on this one.  I'll keep you in the know.  As of right now some of the provisional starters include Boonen, Cavendish, Petacchi, Cancellara, Flecha, Taylor Phinney (the prodigy).  With flat stages and nothing but heat and wind to deter the riders this is another early season drag race.

Don't forget the CX Worlds this weekend.  Crack open some mind numbing man sodas put some mayonnaise on your frites, yell at the TV/Monitor, and "Give me More Cowbell"!!!!

Signs, signs...

This pretty much sums up how the general non-cycling public sees us

Tour Down Under stage 5 & 6

OK, I'm back to the normal flow of things, and with stage 5 and 6 in the bag, I'll let the cat out.  The TDU was fun to watch and it was great to have some cycling back.  Heck yeah, the season is on.

Stage 5
Old Willunga Hill on the menu today with Garm-elo trying to keep Meyer in the leader's jersey.  The break went after 5k of racing and had a large group including Lance.  They were eventually brought back into the fold and then replaced by a small group of Porte, Hermans and Bobridge who were joined by Roulston and Goss.  More fled the peloton until the group in the lead had 20 riders.  This group managed a small gap that was able to stay away and the sprint by Matthews, Goss and Ventoso of Movistar who would take the win.  Goss would hang in for third and Michael Matthews (the winner of stage 3) taking 2nd.  Goss was able to take some time out of Meyer and was only 8sec down.

Stage 6
Hope you saw this one on TV or on the interweb.  Fireworks Down Under for real.  Garm-elo was going to keep their man in the leader's jersey, and they put everything on the table.  The break went and consisted of Stuart O'Grady and some other guys -when you have a break that has Stuy in it no one else matters -it's Stuart HTFU O'Grady.  There were two full laps left and they already awarded him the most agressive rider of the day.  The break if you can call it that never got more than 20sec.  Stuart was eventually joined by ex-teammate Nicki Sorensen, BMC rider Simon Zahner and the trio stayed at arms length in front of a massive peloton until the bell lap.  Team Sky who had been sitting in came to the front with full gas and lined out the peloton.  They were at the front for the full final lap.  Matt Goss made a move but was out-sprinted by Henderson and Ben Swift who took the top step.  Goss had a leadout from Mark (not sure if it was Renshaw or Cav?) but was cut-off by Saxo's Haedo and ended up in third.  Third place was only good enough for 2nd overall 2sec behind Meyer.  Tough day at the office for HTC.  Swift's win moved him ahead of Matthews who was looking solid for second or third, but had to settle for 4th.