Cochise County Cycling Classic Race Reports

Greg Chmelik

I had been looking forward to this race for quite a while. It's a funny thing; I really like events with climbing even though it is not one of my strengths. I guess you just like what you like. It was great to line up with so many teammates and meet some new people too. The field was a lot stronger this year and I figured it would be a pretty tough race.

The weather was great and we got rolling with no problems. I wandered up near the front and found Gary. We formed an accidental break coming off the first turn. I guess we were all pretty revved up because four of us had opened a gap without even being aware of it. The field regrouped and we took the next couple turns and headed out towards Bisbee. Two of the Stonehouse guys casually rolled off the front without even alarming the pack and the next thing I knew they had opened a hefty gap on the field. Suddenly I saw an orange streak out of the corner of my eye. Gary had shot out to bridge up to them. He got across pretty quickly and no one else responded. From there it was slow pedaling to Bisbee. I couldn't believe nobody wanted to try and chase or jump across. I stayed near the front but did not do any work. It was great because Gary and the Stonehouse guys got away pretty well.

By the time we got to Bisbee they were well out of sight. Then the race started to heat up. One Stonehouse guy took off at a good clip as the climb steepened. I stayed on his wheel but when I checked my power I saw I was doing over 450 watts. I knew I couldn't hold that all the way up the climb so I eased off and let the skinny guys fly by. I tried to hold steady power up the climb and then accelerated as hard as I could over the crest and tucked in for the descent. At this point the break was still gone, a small group of very strong guys (including Michael) were together up the road, and the rest of us were scattered behind. We collected up a good group at the bottom of the descent and got a nice paceline going. The group ahead was stronger but not as well organized. We caught them right before Davis Road.

Here was where I made my big mistake. I got a little lazy right as we caught them and didn't close up the last few meters. I figured it would slow down as the two groups merged and people shuffled around. At the same moment the road steepened and somebody attacked out of the group we had just caught. I found myself off the back with a couple guys in the wind over the top of that little climb before Davis Road. Out of the few of us who had fallen off, nobody looked too excited about chasing the group down again so I put my head down and took off alone.

It took six miles of time trialing as hard as I could to catch back on. I could see them pretty well but there were strong guys on the front taking pulls and launching attacks so it took forever. I groaned inwardly every time I saw Michael or Kyle moving up. I kept hoping the chase car behind their group would take pity and come back a bit to pace me up to them. No such luck. Many times I wanted to give up. When the gap would grow a little or my legs would get weak I would start thinking how easy it would be to just sit up and wait for a few guys but I knew the result would be much better if I could just catch those guys. Eventually I did. I can't describe how great it felt to finally get up to the chase car and feel my legs unload for a bit. The car didn't let me get lazy. It promptly moved over and I had to jump the last couple meters to the group.

After that I was pretty exhausted for a long time. The group kept attacking each other all the way back and it was all I could do to just hang on as each of those many accelerations happened. At some point we caught the early break but I was totally oblivious. When we finally turned on to Glenn, I was pretty happy knowing the end was near. The sprint started pretty early and I lost the leaders as we turned on to Leslie Canyon for the last few miles to the finish.

It was a great race and really boosted my confidence after a season full of injuries and illnesses. I was proud to be the top finisher for ChristianCycling. The majority of the guys that beat me were very polished racers, cat 3 and up. I was also proud of Gary for boldly chasing after those guys to join the break. That couldn't have been an easy decision so early in such a long race. He must have known he was signing up for a lot of pain. Jimmy had some adversity but handled it with his usual poise. Michael was in the lead group as usual, taking pulls and dishing out the pain. Didn't hear as much from other people so I'll look forward to hearing more later.

I want to make special mention of my awesome wife and fellow ChristianCycling member, Margo. She crushed it in the 47 mile event! She did not get a good grid position and was boxed in. This caused her to miss the lead group. Nevertheless she kept her head down and worked hard the whole way. She placed second overall for the women and placed quite well in the combined field too. I'm sure next year she will be shoving that little bike a bit further forward on the starting grid!

Greg at the start line

Margo Chmelik

Greg and I were really looking forward to Cochise this year as we really enjoyed it last year.  This year was even more fun being a part of a team!  I only wish that I was strong enough to ride with the guys in the 95 mile.

Greg and I started our morning driving from Bisbee as we waited too long to get a room in Douglas.  We were a bit late but got Greg off on time for the 95 mile.  I went back to the car as I had an hour to kill before my ride started.  I ended up staying there a bit too long.  I only had a few minutes to spare by the time I got to the start line.  Wasn't able to line up right at the front like I had planned.

On the start, I worked my way through lots of people and tried really hard to catch the lead group.  Never did catch them.  They were pretty speedy!  I doubt I would have been able to keep up with them even if I had caught them.  It would have been fun to try though!

I ended up working with two guys for the rest of the ride.  They were good guys and took good care of me.  They made sure that I got back on a wheel when I was done with a pull.  We worked hard.  After turning onto Double Adobe we had a chance to rest up a bit.  Double Adobe is downhill.  After spending some time with my heart rate in the 130's I asked them if they wanted to get back to work.  One guy said, "don't you ever get tired?!".  I was indeed tired but felt ready to get back to work.  I have Buzz to thank for all of the hard intervals workouts he has had me do this year.  Those really paid off!

The last few miles were hard.  One of the guys I was with was able to out sprint me and the other guy with us at the finish.  I told the other guy to go ahead of me because I could tell he had a bit more in the tank than I did at that point.  He kindly told me, "no, ladies first."  I went ahead and thanked him.

Much to my surprise, I came in 2nd place for the women!  It was pretty cool as I got a big 'ol trophy.  It was an awesome day and I was very proud of the work that the guys did in the 95 mile.  Praise the Lord for a fun and safe day!

Margo gets 2nd!

Jimmy Davis

I was not planning on riding the Cochise County Classic this year. However, because so many of my friends were riding I ended up registering the day before the race.

Michael Coyle and I had been spending a lot of time training at Saguaro National Monument and I felt that I would be able to do fairly well in the race. As the race got closer, Perimeter Bicycling put out a special bulletin stating that you could register for only $50 so Mike C. and I jumped at that opportunity.
I decided to go down to Douglas early so that I could get checked in to the hotel. I had been told that the hotels were all booked up and I did not think I would be able to find one but the Motel 6 was available.
The ChristianCycling team met at the restaurant that we have been eating at for the last three years and we all had a great meal and a great time just hanging out the night before the race. On race morning I felt pretty good. I got up, got dressed and saw Michael C. loading up his bike; we headed over to the expo to meet Michael and Gary and help them set up the tent.

Usually it is pretty windy at the Cochise Classic and this year was not any different but it wasn't as bad as previous years. The temperature was pretty comfortable and I didn't have to wear a base layer or arm warmers so I felt pretty good about the race. As the race materialized we were heading out towards the climb and the pace was pretty casual. I sat in the pack about a third of the way back and just enjoyed the ride. I could see Gary and Greg up at the front and Mike H. & Mike C. where near me at times.

Suddenly, I began to hear a lot of chatter about a few guys who had gotten off the front of the pack. Folks were asking who was in the breakaway and others would respond "It's that IC3 guy, Gary!" I did not know that Gary was with two other folks but I was glad to hear that he was in the break. I was a little nervous because I thought he was alone but I knew it would be a great thing if he was able to get a couple of minutes on the pack and make over the climb before the leaders caught him. It turns out that there were two other guys with Gary and they were able to stay out front for over 60 miles!

As the race progressed I began to get that feeling that I needed to go to the bathroom again so just before going through the tunnel into Bisbee I pulled over and went to the bathroom. At that time I saw some riders go by including Michael C. He asked me if I was ok and I said I'm alright I will catch you guys later. I did not realize that meant I was going to chase them for around five or six miles before getting back on. Once I was able to catch up with that group we all worked together pretty well for quite a while. Soon we were on Davis Rd. and working well. Some of the riders began to fatigue but we were still making pretty good time. As we turned and started to head home I could see a sign that read, "Douglas 20 miles/ Mexico 21 miles." I was tired but feeling pretty good... I was really happy because I had not cramped (normally I have to manage cramps during races this long).

Right about that time there was a loud sound of a tire blowout. Unfortunately the person who had that blow out was me and I began to try to see what was going on with my rear tire. The other guys in the pack with me begin to yell, "Stop stop stop!"  My tube had shot out of the tire and wrapped around my cog and chain.  I have never seen anything like that before and it was a real mess. Normally I can change my tube in around 3 minutes or less, this time I couldn't even get my back wheel out of the drops because the tube itself was wrapped around the chain and cog. After unraveling all that mess I was able to see that my tire was still in good shape and I only needed to change the tube. About that time a group of three riders came by and saw that I was ready to go and  waited up for me to get on with them. We worked together for a little while, however two of the riders were not able to maintain the pace and another rider and I ended up coming in together.

Overall, it was a fun ride. I'm so glad I didn't have my cramping issues and it was a very good day of training! I'm very happy to see how the team rode, how we were able to minister to the community and I'm also very glad to see Margo getting some hardware to take home, she took second place in the woman's 47-mile race.

I made it home to find my family in good health and my house in order. AMEN.

Jimmy and Greg getting ready

Michael Hast

Cochise County Cycling Classic is my favorite race. The scenery is great, the race is very challenging with the climb in Bisbee and then on the way back there usually is a pretty stiff headwind. Usually it is a very tough race, but right from the start, with a tailwind pushing us to Bisbee and Gary in a breakaway, it was the easiest CCCC ever, or was it?

Well, right from the start I positioned myself in the middle of the pack, not being able to see what was happening up front. It was to conserve as much power as possible, because last year's attacks happened after only 40 miles of the race with over 50 more miles to go. And with the pros from the Stone House Group in the midst, I wanted to be ready this year to handle their attacks. Being that far back led to Gary, Dwight and Craig pulling away from the peloton unbeknown to me. They pulled further and further away. I got the news about their breakaway and who was in the breakaway a couple of miles before Bisbee. That was great news because I knew that the Stone House Group pros would not chase down one of their own. Nor would I chase down Gary. So I started praying for my brother Gary who was ahead, that God would give him super strength that day. The climb in Bisbee was hard, but unlike last year where I got dropped, I hung on to the chase group and made it with them over Mule Pass.

After Mule Pass, Kyle and Eric from TriSports with Adam tried a few times to get a pace line going to chase down the breakaway. The riders from the Stone House Group interrupted their efforts quite a bit. Right before Davis Rd. another pack caught up to us, because they worked together to catch us. On Davis Rd, we got closer and closer to the breakaway. Many more attacks happened on Davis Rd to bridge the gap between the breakaway and us. Finally, Kyle and Stephen with riders from the Stone House Group were able to bridge to the breakaway. I followed Brian Forbes' wheel with the same intent, but when we closed the gap to some riders that failed to bridge to the breakaway, Brian took the left side around those riders and I got stuck on the right side. I tried one more time to bridge to the breakaway but got stranded in no-mans land. I burned pretty much all my matches at that time and got pulled back into the chase pack. I stayed there until the end of the race.

My plan to stay with the lead group over Mule Pass was successful. I was even able to stay with the chase group through some of the attacks, but finally got dropped on Davis Rd. All in all, it was tiring and fun. Looking forward to next year's edition, LORD willing.

Michael at the start

Gary Schobel

This ride for me was one of my best rides and at the same time one of the toughest ones. I started out the morning by waking up just before the alarm clock. I felt good and ready to race. The weather was in the high 60's with a slight overcast. We got to the fairgrounds in plenty of time to set up the tent, tables, and the banner. It was great to see so many ChristianCycling members there. It wasn't long before the national anthem was played and the 165 milers were at the start line ready to go. The 95 milers were up in 30 minutes. As I made my way to the line I looked around to see who the competition was going to be, all I saw was a lot of my buddies. It looked like it was going to be a good race.

The race started off at a slow pace and the wind was at our back. I don't know if it was just me, but I could feel the anxiousness just waiting for somebody to break free. It wasn't long before a buddy of mine, Dwight Nelson took off. Then Craig from Stone House chased him. With Greg and me in the front I knew it was our job to chase down any attacks. So I felt since I knew Dwight I would take the first attack. It wasn't much of an attack as it was a pick up of the pace. The gap was getting larger and I knew if I was going to catch up with those guys I had to move now. I gave a quick yell over to Greg to let him know that I was going to take this one, and I jumped on it. I caught up with the guys quickly. They weren't really throwing down an attack that just had a little quicker pace then the group. So we just stayed with it. We started to rotate through and decided to take one minute pulls a piece. Before long we looked back and we couldn't see the pack. We all decided to keep this going. Wanted to see how far we could get. Personally I wanted to make it to the roundabout before the pack caught us. That was only because of the accident I saw there last year. At the roundabout in Bisbee we looked back again no sign of the group. I thought it would be great if we could make it to the top of the tunnel before they caught us. Not only did we make it threw the tunnel but all the way down the other side with out getting. When we made the turn on to Davis road. I looked back thinking surely they got to be right behind us, but there was no sign of the group. Dwight encouraged us by saying even though we were going into the wind let's keep a nice even pace. We were hoping that the wind would discourage the guys in the front of the pack not to want to work so hard and allow us to continue to keep the distance between the pack and us. About 65 miles into the race the pros from stone house caught us. Wow! They were really moving. I managed to work through two rotations with them before popping. The second group was shortly behind them. Michael and Greg were in this group. I really wanted to hold on with them, but I've spent too much energy staying away the first part of the race. The mountaintop experience that I had so far in this race was now on a drastic downhill slide. I quickly remembered why I didn't want to race this race. Davis Road! There I was, once again riding it all by myself fully exhausted. I just wanted to quit. I wanted to be done. A couple more opportunities came around when some of my buddies yelled out, grab a wheel. I tried but I just didn’t have enough strength to stay with them. Eventually I did reach to finish line. I picked up Platinum. That was great, because I said if I ever got platinum at Cochise I would call it good and never race this race again. Then something happened. I cross the finish line to see my teammates and my buddies on the other side waiting to congratulate me. It was awesome! You would of thought I had a spot on the podium. Everyone was talking about the breakaway. That part of the race was really cool. I never thought I'd be involved in something like that. I was never so proud to be wearing the ChristianCycling jersey and representing our team. To God be the glory. It was great to hear that Margo had taken second place for the ladies category and was able to pick up a pretty cool trophy. I also praise the Lord for watching out over Jimmy with his tire incident, Steven with his fatigue, and Ray, for his perseverance. I feel that the Lord gave us a great weekend of racing, fellowship, and outreach.

The ChristianCycling Group at the Cochise Classic

Ray Thibault

I was really blessed to help my uncle Jack and cousin John through the Cochise Classic.  The idea came in August when my uncle and I met in one of many hospital visits for my mom.  I had already written off racing this year due to professional difficulties, my mom's illnesses, and my brother's passing.  My uncle is 71 and in his third year of riding.  He used to be very heavy and has made incredible progress.  He doesn't have a lot of power but can maintain a good cadence over a good distance.  My cousin is 49 and also in his third year of riding. His power output is a bit better than my uncle. He has trouble with pressure points on his feet which can result in excruciating pain after a long ride.  But he has learned to mitigate that with careful application of power, so we thought it would be doable for both of them to finish within 9 hours or so.

We did not know there was a cutoff time until the pre-ride dinner and that increased the anxiety a bit because our 9 hours turned into 8.  But, we thought we could do it.  My cousin and uncle did the long El Tour last year but it was flatter than the CCCC and I honestly was a bit concerned about Mule Pass for my uncle.  My plan was to keep close to my uncle and let my cousin get out as far as he wanted to.

When the ride started, we were quickly near the back save for a few people.  The three of us stayed together to the first sag stop and it was pretty easy going so far.  But the elapsed time was just a bit much for my taste at this point, but I said nothing and just kept encouraging my uncle.  We had been practicing for Mule Pass best we could with runs up Pistol Hill and the SNPE Loop, but we could have used more.  As the incline to Bisbee started, my uncle started slowing, but still kept a steady cadence and his spirits were high. My cousin meanwhile was out in front almost out of sight and I hoped he was taking care not to put too much pressure on his foot.  We got to Double Adobe road and my uncle kept going and I stopped to make sure I knew when the sag stops and the sag wagon would stop operating.  I was starting to form a backup plan in case things went south with my uncle or cousin.  I got back to my uncle and we kept grinding it out to the Bisbee Sign at the top of the rise south of Bisbee.  We stopped for a drink and bite to eat here and I could tell my uncle was tired by now but was willing to keep on going.  We got into Bisbee and my cousin was waiting for us at the Roundabout.  I think we were in last place by now.  I sent my cousin on ahead and told him to take advantage and try to make it in by the cutoff time.  He was concerned about his dad, but I told him, "I've got your dad -- go!".

When we started back up, I found out my uncle thought we had done all the climbing.  I had to tell him we still had another few miles to go the top of Mule Pass. This got really hard now as my uncle was well into unknown climbing territory on a road with no bike path.  He was so tired that he was wandering into the traffic lane sometimes and I had to keep him focused on the tunnel.  "We'll get to the tunnel and then the climb is over! For now. We kept grinding it out and finally got to the tunnel.  I was worried we would get hit from behind with our slow speed and dark environment, but God had our backs and we got out to the end of the tunnel and to an unexpected checkpoint at the top. We took a well deserved rest here to congratulate my uncle on his achievement.  My poor uncle was just hammered now, but he wanted to go on thinking he could recover on the down hill.  He sent me on as he wanted to take the downhill at his speed, which consisted of a lot of brakes.  So I tucked in and rode to the checkpoint at Highway 90 and waited for him there.  I waited about 7-8 minutes and started to get concerned but he finally showed up.  He said "I'm done".  At some point down the hill he got disoriented and found himself in the traffic lane which only added to his fear of downhill speed.  That was it - it was 11am with 40 miles in and 54 to go. "Are you sure?". Yep, time to sag out.  Biggest achievement of my uncle's three years of riding!  God is good!

My cousin has been out of sight since the roundabout in Bisbee and with my uncle safe in the sag wagon my plan was now to catch up to my cousin and help him through the wind.  I have been in the saddle for four hours at a very slow speed but it was still four hours. From Highway 90 I took off and tried to go fast but not all-out since I have not done any distance training at speed in a long while. I really felt pretty good at this point and made it up the hills on Davis Road with very little problem. I caught up with my cousin about 25 miles later past the top of the rises on Davis Road.  I got in front and rode through the wind for him for most of the rest of Davis Road. Two things happened at this point almost at the same time.  My cousin's cyclic pain started in his feet and I started getting cramps in almost every muscle in both legs.

We stopped at the sag stop at Davis and 191 to rest my cousin's feet and the moment we did my legs seized up front and back and I couldn't move at all. It took me about five minutes to walk it off and get back on the bike. I'm not sure what time it was but we have 20 miles to go now and since the wind was behind and to the side of us my cousin told me to go on , that he would be alright. My cramps were coming and going so intensely that I could not concentrate on helping my cousin any longer. I had no choice but to go into an autopilot mode, set the pace and just keep going. I was hurting a lot but I knew that the pain of stopping would be even more intense. I managed to keep this up until I turned onto Glenn Road heading towards the fairgrounds, when my front tire flatted. I had to stop and predictably I siezed up again and since I was the only one around I started yelling and screaming trying to get off the bike and get moving.  Frustration and pain do not go well together. I walked off the cramps and changed the tire and was able to keep going to the finish where I crossed the line at seven hours and 43 minutes. My cousin was able to keep up and crossed 4 minutes later I think, getting his finishers medal!

It was really cool to see my uncle Jack and my cousin John accomplish such awesome things when it didn't look like we would be able to do it earlier in the day. The ride turned out to be much harder and much more intense than both of them had anticipated. But having overcome this ride made every previous difficulty look easy by comparison and they are both pumped to go after bigger and better things for the future!

Ray getting reading to head off

Three Bears TT #2 Race Reports

Jimmy Davis

I was really looking forward to this particular race because I had made some changes from the previous race which was on the same course. I wanted to see if I was able to produce a better product this time. When I arrived at the race I was glad to see Ken was already there and Gary arrived just ahead of me. It was not long before a JJ arrived and we started getting our bicycles and gear ready. On this race I wanted to make sure that I got a proper warm up at least 20 minutes on the spinner. As the time got closer I started to warm up and I felt pretty good, raising my heart rate several times on the spinning machine as I got ready to go. Soon Gary, Ken and JJ we're off to the race and when my time came I got ready to go and I had to adjust my helmet because I had tried to find a way to listen to music. While I was adjusting my helmet I heard the race director call my name and I thought "Oh no, did I miss my start time?" Yes I did! As I came up to the line the race directors told me you're going to pull up to the line... as soon as you get to the line then you can then take off;  I took off probably 30 seconds late.

My heart rate was beating out of my chest as I had a lot of nervous energy from being late to the start line. Soon I noticed that I was catching the guy in front of me, then I caught another then another and I started thinking to myself that I needed to go ahead and calm down and get into my rhythm. There seemed to be a crosshead wind on the way out, I kept looking down at my power meter, my mph and my heart rate and I could see that I was not at the place that I wanted to be. However, I just tried to maintain my power until I got to the turn around. On the way back it seemed like the headwind wasn't as much of a tail wind as I was expecting after turning around. So, I decided to try to just maintain my power and my rpm as best as I could on the way back.  When the race was over me and my teammates sat and talked for quite a while about the race then we went to go see the results if they were posted. When we looked at the posted result it turns out that I had taken first place. I was very happy because now I'm the Arizona time trial points leader in Cat 5 and no one can catch me now as there is only one more race that counts towards the points. I'm very happy! Now I plan on moving up to Cat 4 after the state time trial championships in September. All in all it was a great time trials season.

Ken Huizenga

I enjoy the Time Trial series because it forces me to keep my training up in the hottest summer months.  I had done the 30K Three Bears in the past but I felt it was time to try doing both 20K segments this year.  With the heat of the summer, I found myself losing weight.  Along with the weight coming off my power numbers were slipping as well.  This was going to be some interesting data.  Was being lighter going to make me faster or were the lower power numbers going to keep everything the same?

I did the first TT back on Aug 2nd.  The way out I metered myself as not to blow up too early.  My plan was then to pour it on after the half way turn.  I had definitely totally emptied my tank and was hoping for at a minimum, for a third place finish.  I came in 4th with teammates Jimmy and JJ finishing ahead of me.  My power numbers freighted me, only 226 watts. This is down from 245 earlier in the year.  UGH!
With some advice from Coach Buzz I set out to change a few bad training habits and worked a bit harder and smarter.  I had about three weeks to improve before repeating everything in TT #2.  I did harder intervals and more Power focused workouts.  After two hard weeks of training as well as the added work stress, I was exhausted.  I spent the week before doing a lot of spinning and doing leg openers sessions to keep myself rested and loose.

TT #2 now arrived.  I felt strong and ready.  This time I was pushing it the whole way.  I saw power numbers in the 250-260 range the whole way out.  I was stoked!  At the turn around I took two deep breaths and settled into my aero position as tight as I could.  In the past this meant a tailwind and high speeds.  Today there was more of a crosswind, and this proved more difficult than I expected.  Still I pedaled with everything I could muster.  At the 1K to go make I looked down at my time hoping to see about 31 minutes elapsed.  I saw 32:30.  I probably should not have looked.  I was spent and now was mentally beat.  I finished the last 500 meters but I’m sure I had let off a bit.  Good news was that I had improved. My wattage increased by 10, I had cut off 30 seconds and finally had an average speed of over 22mph on a flat TT course.  All bests for me.  The not as good news was that  I was still 4th and even after working hard, I now know the discipline this is going to take to win at this level.  I sure have a long way to go.  This was a great learning experience.  Thanks to my IC3 Teammates Jimmy, Gary and JJ.  You guy’s rocked it!  Also thanks to Coach Buzz for your candor and advice.

JJ Schmidt

After being so close to 2nd on the last one, I was determined to be at least 4 sec. faster.  I got my aero helmet on Friday and figured that was good for at least 4 sec.  Once again I was looking forward to racing with Gary, Jimmy and Ken.  Jimmy sent a link about pacing with power, and since I now have a power meter I thought I would give it a try.  I got there on time and was glad to see that the others were already there.  I got ready and headed out to warm up.  When I went to the starting line Ken must have just left and Gary was about to go.  There were two riders between Gary and me.  Jimmy was quite a few behind me so I wasn't expecting too see him yet. I started out hard and passed the rider in front of me before the first 1K, I passed a second rider before the 5k mark.  I kept an eye on my power and tried to concentrate on keeping my head down and not being all over the road.  I was determine to take the turn better this time.  I came in faster this time, but clearly I need more practice turning around.  After turning the corner I must have been a little off balance because when I stood up my back tire lifted up.  Luckily I recovered and tried to keep my pace steady till the last 1K when I gave it all I had.  For the first time nobody passed me ( luckily Jimmy started out way behind me and Gary and Ken were in front of me).  I managed to shave 45 seconds off my previous time and grabbed second place.  It was a good day for IC3 and I'm proud to be part of the team!

Single Track Bike Shop Omnium Race Reports

Michael Hast

Mormon Lake RR

This was the first time I raced in the Mormon Lake Road Race. Gary and I pre rode parts of the course and drove the rest of the course to get an impression and to finalize our strategy. Our plan was to break away in the second lap of 3 on the climb towards Lake Mary Rd. We included Lynn from team Tolero and Dan from team Stone House Group in our plan. For a successful breakaway I wanted to have more than one rider with me. We were the second to last group that started, just 2 minutes after the categroy 5 riders. Right from the start, one rider took off. A rider from team Mandalay Bay bridged the gap and both of the riders started to work together. About 4 riders, including me, wanted to close that initial gap. At that point riders from Mandalay Bay started to block, which was annoying, but great teamwork. With some strong pulls, we closed the gap on the climb towards Lake Mary Rd, the climb I wanted to break away in lap 2. Right before the turn to Lake Mary Rd., Joe from team Mandalay Bay started a breakaway. I decided to go with Joe, even though this was just lap 1 of 3. Joe had 3 teammates and I had Gary, all in all 4 riders that could help us to slow down the peloton for a successful break.

Joe and I started to work well together. We came up to "the Wall" to complete the 1st lap and gained quite a bit on the category 5 riders. About 4 miles into lap 2 we passed the category 5 riders and shortly thereafter the Masters 50+,60+ and 70+. That gave us a boost of confidence because it will be harder for our group to pass these riders. Joe and I stayed away for about 2 laps but were unfortunately caught by a huge group of riders. That group consisted of category 5, our category and Master riders, even though it is against the rules for different start groups to merge. I guess there were not enough motorcycle referees to enforce that rule. Well, after we got caught we had about 6 more miles to the finish. For me this was the most nerve wrecking part of the race. Now the plan shifted to stay with the group until the base of "the Wall" and then attack on that final climb. At the base of "the Wall", about 1 mile before the finish, there was a huge crash. Unfortunately, Lynn was taken out and Gary was involved as well. I rode up "the Wall" to the finish, finished 3rd. Afterwards I rode to Gary, gave him my wheel, so that he could finish the race. All in all, it was a successful race, with a great team strategy that worked well, especially after hearing the unfolding of the race from Gary's perspective.

Michael gets third!

Williams/Perkinsville RR

The Williams/Perkinsville Road Race was an out and back race starting in Williams going downhill for about 24 miles towards Perkinsville and then back up about 20 miles. The strategy was much simpler than the Mormon Lake Road Race. Stay with the group on the initial 24 miles descent and then attack on the way back up. We started in Williams and rode through the beautiful pines of the Kaibab National Forest. After about 3 miles the road became bad with lot's of potholes and a damaged shoulder, so we exercised caution on our descent. Two riders took off on the descent, and this time we didn't chase them down. Rather we pretty much coasted down at about 40 mph. During the descent I noticed that it got warmer when the pines gave way. After we turned around, I followed one rider, passed him because he was too slow, catching the next rider. I repeated that until there were no more riders to catch. There were no real attacks, just a steady push. That was enough to put me into 1st place. After arriving at home, I realized that I had the same race number 612 in the Oracle Road Race 2 years ago where I won. Coincidence? I THINK NOT ;-)

Michael takes 1st and Gary snags third!

Gary Schobel

Mormon Lake RR

This was my first time racing this road race. Michael and I were racing in the Men Cat 4/5 40
+, 50+, tandems category. The course is a beautiful, rolling 16-mile circuit with 380 ft of climbing per lap and a short 6.5% climb at 8 miles. Our category was going to do three laps for a total of 48 miles.
We arrived on Friday afternoon to pre ride the course and discuss our race strategies. Our plans were to have Michael break away half way through the second lap. It was going to be my job to block or shut down any attempts that the group would make to catch Michael and the break away group. Of course it is highly unlikely that any plans made before the race ever go exactly as planned and this race was no different. In the first lap one rider attacked and put a good gap on the group. Michael and one other rider broke away and bridged the gap.

Unfortunately, Michael and the break were caught with a half lap to go. As the categories began to bunch up, the speed increased. With the categories bunched up so close to the hill climb and the finish it is my understanding that a Cat 5 rider aggressively moved into the pack and in front of the Cat 4 group. The Cat 4 racer went down, taking a group of racers with him. I was one of those riders that went down. I felt it was by God’s grace that I was not injured nearly as bad as some of the other riders. After getting off the ground and checking out the bike, Michael had returned. I had to use the front wheel from his bike to finish the race. Due to the amount of guys from my category involved in the crash I finish the race in 5th place. I returned to the area of the crash to find that Lynn was heading for the hospital for a broken collarbone and a good amount of road rash. My thoughts and prayers quickly went out for Lynn and the guys that were unable to finish the race. It was a bittersweet finish for me; I hate to see guys injured but I was proud of Michael making the podium.

Just a scratch

Williams/Perkinsville RR

A 45-mile course with 3,400 ft of climbing - avg 2.8% - out and back. For starters, a special thanks to the mechanics at Single Track Bike Shop for the quick repairs done to my bike. With a sore left hip and a bandaged left elbow, Michael and I headed out with a slightly smaller category of guys. Soon after heading out of town the group narrowed to 6-7 racers. Our plans were to hang in on the descent. I would cover any attacks and Michael would focus on the win during the climb. The descent was long and fast. More then a couple of time it crossed my mind, we have been going downhill for a long time at a fast pace. Sooner or later we are going to turn around and the climb back is going to be much slower and longer. The climb up felt like a race up Mt. Lemmon. Michael passed me at the turn around and I knew we were in good shape. The leaders were just out ahead of us. For me the next 22 miles were uneventful. I crossed the finish line to find out Michael caught and passed the leader to take 1st place. I finished in 3rd place and the IC3 was on the podium again. Praise the lord!

Michael ends up 2nd overall and Gary grabs 3rd!

Three Bears TT#1

JJ Schmidt

Three Bears TT#1
I was looking forward to this time trial, because three of my teammates were
also doing it. We all started within a few minutes of each other.  I started out quickly trying to get my speed up, then tried to settle in where my HR was about 175.  I was able to pass two people in front of me but got passed myself at the 5K mark.  I was able to keep my concentration up and only spaced out for a couple of seconds.  I slowed down too soon for the turn, but hit it hard to get my speed back up.  Two more riders passed me after the turn, but I didn't mind because it was Gary and then Jimmy.  I passed a couple more riders before getting passed once again myself.  At the 1K mark I started to give it everything I had left which got me third place, 1 point in the TT series and a new max heart rate of 197.  I was only 4 second behind the second place finisher.  I analyzed that one all day.  I was
pretty happy with my finish and proud of my team! Jimmy and Gary both took first and Ken was right behind me in fourth.  I would also like to thank Robert for coming out and supporting us. 

JJ

Breeze in the Trees 5K Race Report

Margo Chmelik

While running is not quite as fun as bike racing I enjoy doing a 5k from time to time. I was really looking forward to this one as I had been running consistently for a few months without any serious injuries. The morning of the race was a bit crazy as Greg's truck wouldn't start and he needed to get to work. Luckily it was just the battery and we were able to jump start it with my car. Got him to work on time and me to race with just minutes to spare. My plan with this race was to sort of use it as a lactate threshold heart rate test. With all the craziness of the morning I forgot my heart rate monitor. So much for that idea. The race got under way and was similar in feeling to other 5k's I have done. Mile 1 isn't too bad, mile 2 is really hard, mile 3 is hard but the end is in sight. My pacing wasn't too hot as each mile was slower than the previous so I went out a little too hard at the start. There was some mud on the course this year which slowed us all down a bit. Made it a bit rough for those with strollers. I ended up with a time of 24:44 which was an unexpected personal record and placed 2nd in my age group. My favorite part was eating pancakes afterwards with some friends. It was a good race.

Sonoita - Patagonia Race Reports

Ken Huizenga

I picked up my teammate JJ and we headed out early.  It was a great morning to race, at 7:15 when we arrived the temperature was about 74 degrees. The winds seemed light but at least they would be crosswinds. We drove the first mile of the course because a week earlier I had done the same thing, but still questioned where the best line would be. The first few miles had patches in the road that might be a little sketchy at 30 mph in the TT bars. We decided the white line was about the best spot to aim for and headed to registration.  After pinning on our numbers we began chatting with a few of our neighbors in the parking lot. Conversations were mostly about how the year has gone and how this race was likely to pan out.  After about an hour, we started noticing how much the wind was increasing. It was gusting and was now wavering between a likely crosswind shifting to a headwind. Even if a Cat 5 rider like myself has had a remote chance at the 30+ club, it was now definitely not going to happen. If you have not heard, this race awards a special T-shirt to those that average over 30mph for the course.

JJ and I started to warm up and ride along the highway. I wanted to be loose but not waste a bit of energy. The first rider off was at 9 am and I was near the end of list. JJ left about 5 riders in front of me so he had about a three minute head start. I was glad for this because it assured that I would not see him. Racing a friend is just not fun for me. I so hoped he would crush it.

I started into a strong headwind and after a minute of heavy wattage, settled down to focus on staying close to my FTP. I liked what I was seeing on the Garmin and continued at a nice rhythm. Although advertised as a completely downhill course, there were a few long flats that seemed to tail up at the ends. This is where I figured I could pick up the power. After pushing a bit past my threshold, I was happy to see there was only 1.8 miles to go. I tucked in and emptied the tank. I quickly looked down to see my average speed was close to 26mph. I was happy.

Training-wise I felt prepared for this event but was not feeling well this day. I hoped my time would represent our team well. As for JJ, he felt he did his best and we headed home feeling good about our effort. As it turned out, we finished 4th and 5th respectively. Not too shabby. It was an awesome morning spent with a great group of riders. Sonoita was beautiful spot to have this race. Maybe one day I will get one of those t-shirts but for now there is much more work to be done.

JJ Schmidt

I was pretty excited about this time trial when Jimmy described it as a 30 mph downhill TT.  I wasn't convinced that I could maintain 30+ mph for 12 miles, But I was excited to try.  Ken was nice enough to pick me up that morning and give me a ride in his nice new truck.  Ken proceeded to tell me that no one had made the 30 mph mark since 2012 because of the wind.  Ugh, I hate the wind. We got there early and Ken drove us a few miles down the course to give me an idea what it was like, and the wind did not seem too bad.  But ... as race time got closer the wind picked up and it was a steady head wind the whole race.  It was a little frustrating for me due to the wind but I pushed myself pretty hard and both Ken and I did pretty well.  I was glad that my family met us at the bottom to give us a ride back  up the hill.  It wasn't everything I was hoping for, but I had a great time racing with Ken.

Bike The Bluff Road Race 2015

I had spent about two months hearing all the stories about the Bike The Bluff Road Race.  Most of them were relating to altitude and climbing struggles.  As an older rider,  this did not make me want to sign up early.   I had to think about training and how to prepare myself mentally for this challenge back in April.  With the time I had,  there was now way to get all the training in I know Coach would of wanted.  With one week to go, it was time to stop making excuses and sign up.  

It was perfect weather,  about 70 degrees at start time and light winds. 

 Having a three mile neutral start was going to be a nice warmup, or so I thought.  The pack on this day was nervous.  There was a lot of braking and bumping was taking place simply following the pace car.   When the car did pull off it did not get any better. Riders were braking going down sweeping hills,  very odd.  Things settled down and the pace was good for me.   I enjoyed the speeds and stayed tucked.  I was going to stay aero today no matter what.  As advertised,  the climbing started about 13 miles in.  Yes, there were rollers but today was about the climbs.  at mile 17 my heart rate started to get the best of me.  I usually climb at about 162 BPM and I looked down and was at 177, almost anaerobic.   The pack began to pull away,  ugh!…already?

As the group strung out,  I was passing riders one by one.  Not quickly but my constant tempo and power was helping me make gains.  The big problem here was the pack was doing half of the work I was.  I settled in with a group of about five and we started to work together.  I felt good and was happy to share the work with these guys.  Mile 22 was upon us and finally a cool descent.  The view was great,  I had help, and absolutely love 40+ mph speed!  Our group took turns pulling and we flew through the next 15 miles.  

Miles 43-55 were all going to be uphill.  This is the stretch all the stories of struggle were about.  Our little group tried to work together for a bit but we all climbed at different paces.  I saw guy’s ripping it at low cadence  while other like me were spinning at 100rpm.   I settled in tapping away to some tune in my head  and took my place about 4th in my group.  We were together but each of us had about 50 yards between us.  

This was a Tucson group of guys.  I recognized them from our Shootout here on Saturdays.   We have been here before.  It was comforting to know that I could trust these riders and that  we had worked together for a large part of the day.  I had taken a few minutes during the climb and pain to be thankful for this day and for God allowing me to stay in good health to ride.   I also was thankful for him providing me with this small Tucson group of riders.  Whatever we accomplish on this day, was going to be because we worked together.  Maybe this is what I love abut this sport.  Knowing that respect and love of our brothers is what makes us all better,  not just in cycling, but in all we do.  

The last 8 miles just plain hurt.  Even in this high elevation it was approaching 90 degrees and my legs were screaming for more oxygen.  Cramping wanted to set in but I was NOT going to allow that.  I stood and climbed,  then rested,  constantly repeating.  I passed a couple of guys in our group and then saw the final turn.   I had the mindset that the last 150 meters  was going to be my Cavendish sprint.  The pro’s make this look so easy,  I was going to finish strong.  I stood to get at least 850 watts out of my first few strokes and my right leg cramped like vice.  I quickly faded to a high cadence 175 watt spin and limped over the line.   On this day I had given all my aging body would allow.  The wanted my timing chip but I could not bend to remove it.  Luckily they treat those chips like gold and took it off my leg.   Greg nicely found me some cold water and I recovered for a few minutes.  Wow were my lungs mad at me.   I was too hot and irritated to eat the pancakes they provided  for the riders.  As I recovered I was thankful to of had a safe race but really started lamenting about again losing the pack.  This would of been so much easier if I had been just slightly better prepared.  Fifteen minutes back was nothing to be proud of on this day.  A new bar is now set.  Back to the Training Peaks drawing board.  

Thanks to the Bike The Bluff crew for putting on an absolutely awesome event.  Thanks to my Teammates for there never ending support and to the riders I worked with out on the road.  You guy’s made this day great!  Eric,  so proud of you for finishing this race up.   You Rock!

2015 Arizona Road Race Championships: Bike the Bluff

2015 Bike the Bluff State Road Race Championship

Last year, 2014 I raced in the Bike the Bluff Road race.  Once that race was complete it was on my radar for 2015.  I wanted to go to this race in tip top shape and stand on the podium (or at least top 10).  

Preparation

As the 2015 edition of this race started to get closer started to prepare for the race.  I did not have too many distractions so focusing on this ride was not hard to do.  I was pretty excited because I felt that I was regaining my fitness and form.  I had done something a little different in the weeks preceding the race;  I had a “taper week” and a “peak week.”  Normally I would have had a taper week in the week just before the race. 

This year was also very exciting because my wife along with some of my kids in tow decided to come to Show Low with me.  Gary, one of my teammates, knew a firefighter that had an awesome cabin up in Show Low which we were able to rent.  It was very fun and the kids really enjoyed the cabin.  My wife and I had a great time up mountain too.  We even went on a workout together while we were up there.  On the way to the race I had a special escort; Alan from Tolero was behind us!  In fact, he ended up being behind us on the way home too…what a guy!

Race Day

On the day of the race I felt really good, except that my stomach was unhappy again and I made several runs (no pun intended) to the bathroom.  I got to the line along with my teammates and we waited to be sent off.  I was very happy to have so many IC3 members (me, Ken, Greg, JJ, Eric and Michael was in the Cat 4's) in the race along with many JKG racers. 

As we began the neutral start I felt pretty good.  One racer came along side me and said, “Jimmy Davis, Jr…when are you gonna move up to Cat 4, I’m tired of racing against you!”  I was glad to see folks that I had raced against in the past.  I felt pretty comfortable. 

As the lead car moved out of the way the race began.  My first goal was to get over the hill that I was dropped on last year.  It is only about 10 miles into the race and I did not want to spend an hour chasing like last year.  I was able to stay with the group without any real difficulty although I knew that we were moving at a pretty good clip. 

During the race the only teammate that I saw was Greg.  I was unsure where the other guys were in the pack but hoped that they were doing well.  After getting over the hill that killed me last year I began to focus on saving energy.  I had a few rides earlier in the month that had exposed a weakness and Buzz had counseled me on minimizing the issue during a ride.  The group was big enough that there was plenty of shelter.  In our race there was a break away that went out fairly early.  The breakaway had a rider who had some teammates in the Peloton and those guys went to the front of the pack at one point to slow down the Peloton, to which I was grateful.  We caught these guys with about an hour left in the race, however.  My next goal was to get through the little neighborhood that we had to negotiate.  Fortunately, this year they did not take the turns like a crit and we went through pretty safely.

This year I paid closer attention to eating and drinking on the ride.  A friend of mine had called me prior to the race to remind me to drink plenty of water.  I did feel a slight wiggle of the hammy at one point but the cramps never materialized…I backed off a bit to keep the cramps at by.  Finally we came to the turn that takes us to the final 3 climbs toward the finish line.  I still felt pretty good but once the climbs began I slowly started to fade.  I began to look at my power meter and try to ride at an output that I thought I could maintain at that time.  I ended up riding near 3 other guys but we really did not work together.  I waited for a guy coming behind me because he looked like he had his second wind…he brought me up to two other riders.  However, one of them kept riding away from our little group and we would catch him until he’d ride away again…then we’d catch him (like a yoyo on a rope).

Finally the end was in sight!  We had one right hand turn and then 200 meters to the finish.  As I made the turn I had decided not to sprint as we were together ( sort of) as we turned.  But one of the guys started sprinting and so did the others so I started to sprint and passed two of the guys.  I was closing on the first sprinter but the finish line came too soon.  My family was at the line and I was glad that I finished strong!  I finished 34/57 which was not my goal but I'm happy with my results...I was about 20 minutes faster (less wind).

Final Thoughts

All in all this was a good fun race.  I can’t wait to come back again next year, perhaps as a Cat 4.  After the race we went to JJ’s cabin for some BBQ…it was fun.  I lost my wallet after the race somewhere so we did have a little fiasco for a while but my family is happy, we didn’t crash during the race and everyone made it home safe…I guess it was a good day!

Your Insurance and Cycling

The IC3 Tucson Race Team really appreciates the support we've received from local businesses and churches in Tucson. One of our sponsors, Edmund Marquez has taken his time to write up a post for us to discuss insurance and how it applies to cyclists.

Your Insurance and Cycling

As an avid cyclist, and a local Allstate agent, I am often asked how to better protect a cyclists bike, or their body, with their insurance.  Here are a couple tips for you to ponder, and some advice to go with it.

In regard to your bike, which you most likely have spent thousands on, it is covered by your primary property policy.  This can be a Home, Renters, Mobilehome, or Condo policy, in which you reside (not a rental property).  Allstate for example, will cover your bike, even up into the thousands of dollars, less your deductible.  So, if your bike is stolen from your home, or burns up in a fire at your home, we would pay to replace your bike, and you would just be responsible for your deductible.  Please know that most companies will not cover your bike in case you crash it while riding it.  There are smaller specialty companies that you can find on the internet, or at a local bike shop, that can provide coverage while you are riding it.  My advice in regard to having the full value of your bike covered, is to take numerous pictures of it, and keep your receipts.  Some Claim Adjusters, who aren’t cyclist, may have a hard time comprehending how much you spent on your bike, so it is better to have the backup to prove the value.

In regard to your body, and the medical bills that can incur when a crash happens, obviously it is best to have health insurance.  But what about going beyond that?  I highly advise an Accident Policy, which pays you in case you are injured, hospitalized, go to the Emergency Room, etc.  I have a Platinum policy through Allstate, and it runs about $50 a month, and it will pay money to ME, not the hospital or health insurance company, in case I am injured on my bike.  Also, I highly recommend that you increase your Medical Pay coverage on your Auto policy to at least $50,000 - $100,000.  It is inexpensive to do, and it will pay out in case you are hit by a car while riding your bike.  It will also pay if you are hit by a car while jogging and walking.  It is an inexpensive way to make sure your medical bills are covered, or can pay for a chiropractor or physical therapy if it is denied by your health insurance company.

It is important to review your coverages with your agent on an annual basis.  If you have questions, or don’t have an agent because you are with the Gecko, please feel free to email me at edmundmarquez@allstate.com.  Thank you, and be safe out there!  Cycling is an amazing sport, which will keep up us in shape for years to come.

Edmund Marquez
Allstate Agent
Rides with the Jim Click Racing Team

Cotton Classic Time-Trial Series: Race #1

COTTON CLASSIC TIME-TRIAL SERIES

With the Criterium season over we come to the part of the race season that I like the most…that is Time-Trial (TT) season.  In cycling there are many disciplines a rider could involve himself/ herself in: Road race, Crits, Time-Trial, MTB, motor cross, Cyclocross etc…

The Race of Truth

A time-trial is a grueling race, it is called the “Race of Truth” because in this race it is just you and your machine against the road and the elements.  In this type of race there is no place to hide, no drafting, no coasting, no one to blame and no one to thank.  The race of truth is where you put it all on the line for a particular distance.  Most time-trials are on a mostly flat course and can be 20, 30 or 40 kilometers.  Some time-trials are climbing TT’s--these I don’t usually enter because climbing is even more painful and I have yet to really capture the art of climbing.

My New TT Bike From My Family

 The Cotton Classic TT Series is a very flat course, less than 50ft elevation change on the course.  It is the typical out and back type of course and the road was not too bad.  I wanted to do this race because the State championship TT’s will be held on this course so getting a little recon was the main goal.  

My old road bike used for TT's

 I also wanted to test out my new TT bike that my family purchased for me on my birthday.  It is a pretty bike and everyone knows that ”pretty” can go a long way.  The field for this race was somewhat small, however, there were a lot of folks out in the various categories racing.  I felt good at the start of the race.  All of my previous TT’s had been on a road bike and I really looked forward to riding a dedicated bike on the course. 

Race Day

It was cold in the morning

I was glad to see all of the folks that I knew and Jason was out there with his new TT bike ready to get going.  It was cold and wet and I don’t like being cold or wet.  It seems like I had too many races where it was either cold or wet and I had hoped for better weather;  a strange storm had come in and had even caused snow on Mount Lemmon.  However, everyone was racing on the same course and in the same conditions so all was fair.  The wind on this day was tough, it was a head wind on the way out so I adjusted my plan slightly to account for it.

Jason Captured an Exhausted Jimmy Davis, Jr.

I got a good warm up and headed for the start line.  It was strange because there were two start times and since I was not sure which was going to be used I got there early.  As I went off I tried to get into a rhythm and hold my desired numbers which I did pretty well.  On the way out I hit a huge pot hole and I thought for sure I was going to have a flat and perhaps a cracked front wheel but they both held up without a problem.  One thing I realized during this race was that I’m going to have to practice my turn around.  I had a really, really slow turn and even went off the road into the mud.  This was mainly because I did not know how the new bike would perform in a turn and I was not very aggressive getting around the cone.  On the way back I tried to get my power back where it needed to be, of course I thought I was really suffering during the race but I can see that I could have put more out.

I finished the race in 1^st place in the Cat 5 race.  I was pleased but I am really looking forward to getting the professional fit next week so that I can be set up properly.  The entire race I was sliding off the seat and had to reposition myself constantly.  I am also looking forward to my TT skinsuit which will be here soon.  

What's the Data Say?

All in all,  it was a great race for me.  I was at the max of all my current numbers even though I know some of my power numbers are lower than they could be since I'm not test like I should.

Next race on this course I’ll be able to dial in my efforts a little better…can’t wait!