Italian may mean high maintenance... but oh, when it's working!

When I decided to update my road bike components several years ago, I decided to change from Shimano 8-speed Dura-Ace to Campagnolo 10-speed Record.  Why?  Well, it wasn't exactly that well thought-out, since my tri-bike has Shimano components, so I can't swap between them.  My cyclocross bike, though, has Campagnolo 10-speed, so it's not completely crazy.  Anyway, I put a new chain on my road bike, and cleaned the cassette, derailleurs and crankset prior to putting them on.  I took apart the cassette to clean it, remembering that the spacers were not uniform.  For some reason, Campagnolo makes spacers that are differentiated.  I suppose it makes the shifting better, but I couldn't figure out why.  After all, Shimano's cassettes have uniform spacers and their shifting seems to work pretty well.  I even pulled out the technical manual that came with the cassette (yes, I keep those things) and looked at it. 

So, after cleaning and then reassembling the cassette last night, I ran through the gears to make sure it was shifting cleanly.  Every cog shifted smoothly except for the 17.  It kept getting hung up and I could not get it to work.  I went to bed, figuring that I would work on it in the morning.  As I was getting ready to fall asleep, the idea that I had assembled the spacers incorrectly went through my mind.  When I woke up this AM, I looked at the schematics of the technical manual, and then took off the cassette.  Yup, I had reversed the spacer between the 23-25 and the 19-21.  When I switched them, reassembled the cassette, and ran through the cogs, it shifted smoothly, even the 17.  Ah-ha!  Taking my bike out for a ride today, after having put on a new chain, and cleaned the drivetrain, everything worked smoothly.  The shifting in a Campagnolo drivetrain is just more solid than I've found in a Shimano drivetrain, at least between road bikes.  The brifters don't rattle, and each shift is a solid "thunk" rather than a "snick" that I've experienced with Shimano. 

And maybe that's why there are three different types of spacers in a Campagnolo cassette.  But, it just reminds me that it requires just a bit more attention than Shimano.  And it reminds me of the reputation of Italian sports cars:  they are fantastic to drive, but are much more finicky.  But, as I rode my bike today and felt the satisfaction of each positive shift and how the drivetrain hummed along, I understood why people still buy Italian sports cars.

I'm not like the princess and the pea... really!

Today's entry is actually an update of an entry from May 2012... and that is a column that I originally wrote several years ago. As you can see, I have continued to update it.  The entire piece is long, but somewhat amusing, and I'm sure many others have been through the same thing I've been going through.  So, without further ado, here's the continuation of my May 2012 entry, "Riding shouldn't be a pain in the butt":

Update December 2012:  After playing around with where to sit on the V-Flow Plus, I did find the sweet spot.  It is actually nearly at the tip, but I found that I can sit there for an extended period of time without difficulty.  When I realized where the sweet spot was for me, I ended up moving the saddle back about ¾ cm.  That helped to keep me from banging my knees on my elbows.  I think the quest is finally over.

Update May 2013:  And nope.  The sweet spot for the V-Flow Plus was further back from the nose.  And being a career nose rider, it just feels strange to me.  So, I went back and tried the Adamo again, buying a used Time Trial on Slowtwitch.  It is shoved back, but I’ve found that it puts me in a better position from a feel standpoint.  I end up near the front, but don’t feel like I’m falling off.  Of course, where I sit on the prongs will take some getting used to, as has been suggested.  But while the Time Trial is a “firm” saddle, I don’t mind it, and even found a comfortable spot on it this AM while riding.  Again, I may need a bit more playing around to try and find the optimum spot.  In looking at my comments on the Breakaway, it was comfortable, but felt too wide.  I think by moving the Time Trial further back, the wideness issue has been alleviated.  And the idea that you are sitting on an Adamo in much the same way you perch on the edge of a bench or ledge is a good visual.

So, I think the Adamo is a “go.”  After a few trainer rides, it seems to work pretty well.  I haven’t been uncomfortable at all, and, in fact, feel pretty good on the trainer.  I guess I’ll need to road-test it to make sure it works, but I like the fact that I feel like I’m sitting “on the rivet,” which is how I’ve ridden for years on a tri-bike.  However, there isn’t any pressure and no numbness.  I’ll have to get a look at my position in a photo.

Update September 2013:  I think I’ve found it… finally.  After spending the season on the Adamo Time Trial, I didn’t think it was the answer.  I decided to try the Specialized Sitero, a new time trial/triathlon-specific saddle.  After every ride on the Time Trial, I felt like there were sore areas that shouldn’t have been there, still feeling that it was too wide.  After a couple of short rides on the Sitero, I definitely don’t have the same soreness, and it certainly feels the best of any saddle that I’ve tried to date.  More time will be spent this winter to see if it’s the right one for me.  And reportedly, the studies done by Specialized showed that blood flow to the perineal area was better with this saddle than another other saddle, including the Adamos.   Interestingly, since I first wrote this, Adamo increased the number of their saddles, mostly to include time trial/triathlon-specific saddles, Cobb came out with their Gen2, Specialized came out with their Sitero, Bontrager came out with their adjustable Hilo, and Fi`zi:k and Shimano have released pictures of their new time trial/triathlon saddles, which will be available in the winter.  It’s funny how there has been an explosion of saddles for triathletes, who are all trying to find the saddle that will allow them to ride in an aggressive position without being punished for it.

September 11th

I purposely try to stay on track, rambling (mostly in a lighthearted manner) about my athletic life in this blog.  There's enough to stress on and be serious about that I use this as a way to take life (and myself) a little bit less seriously.  Today, though, I'm going to step outside my box and onto my soapbox.  You can elect to read onwards, or skip today's entry 

On a terrible day 12 years ago, our lives, and the world for that matter, were forever changed.  Most of you can remember where you were when you heard the news about the terrorist attacks.  I was in my car, headed to work via North Fort Lewis and there was a back up on North Gate Road all the way to the T-intersection of Steilacoom-Dupont Highway.  There was a lockdown and ID's were being checked at the gate, which was first time this had happened since the first Gulf War.  I was in line about halfway down North Gate Road when the reports that the first tower had fallen came out.  I also remember being parked on I-5 listening to the reports.  It took me over 3 hours to get to work, and I was one of the few in my clinic that actually made it to work.  We spent most of the day, staring at the TV, watching the video feeds over and over.  I remember walking around in a daze for much of the day.

On September 11, I think it is important to reflect on that day and on where we live and what we stand for.  What caused me to write today's entry was a Facebook entry from someone who apparently "can't handle" all the public stuff that goes on every year.  Well... deal with it!  Or choose another country to live in, one that probably does not have all the freedoms with which we are endowed in this country.  Yes, other countries have been violated in their past, but we live in a country that is regarded in a different manner than any other country in the world.

The thing that, well, pisses me off, is the attitude of entitlement that permeates some in our country.  We live the way we live because of sacrifices that a small portion of our population makes.  And yes, we recognize the armed forces on certain days of the year, and the rest of the year, much of what is done by them is below our consciousness.  Okay, maybe I'm more sensitive to this, because I am a Veteran, and I work in an institution that is part of the armed forces, and I have had friends and acquaintances that are or were on Active Duty.  They have made sacrifices, from missing their children's first birthday and not being able to be there as a parent or spouse, to injuries which will last a lifetime.  When you speak with someone who has been deployed, invariably they will make light of the situation, focusing on the lighthearted moments that occurred.  What they won't or don't do is dwell on the negatives. 

This September 11th is nearly over; I hope that this date will always be in the public eye and we never forget.

I am off of my soapbox now. 

The season... is over

It's funny.  It is early September, and there is still a lot of good weather left.  But I am done racing this year, and I think my body knows it.  And maybe there was a message in the fortune cookie that I got last night at dinner:

Over the last week, I've transitioned to off-season mode.  Several years ago, I stopped lifting for a variety of reasons.  While my last race was my fastest, and I felt strong throughout, I also noticed that my leg strength has waned.  Now, maybe it's the lack of miles I have put in, but I decided to head back to the gym and restart my lifting program.  I also think my philosophy has changed a bit where I'm looking not just at triathlon shape, but also at my overall health.

The first thing I noticed was how weak I've gotten.  I'm hoping that much of it is simply related to technique, and learning how to balance weights again.  But I also felt my legs nearly cramp after doing leg presses (after doing squats) with not that much weight.  It's going to be a fun challenge to regain some strength.  The second I noticed was the titanium plate in my clavicle.  Although I have been doing push ups without any problem, bench press with a barbell caused a strange sensation in my shoulder/clavicle when I did it, kind of a stretch/pop thing.  While not painful, it wasn't exactly pleasant.  I'll have to keep an eye on that.

I hopped on the bike yesterday to do some time on the trainer.  And there was not much motivation in it.  My legs were still tight from lifting 3 days earlier, and I just didn't have much interest.  I think this is another sign that the season is over for me.  I'm going to try to get on my trainer several times this week just to keep things going, but I'm guessing they'll be more of a spin session than any harder work.  That's okay by me for now.

And as I was running this weekend, I kept thinking about one of my all-time favorite songs, "Long Time," by Boston.  The lyrics seemed to fit my recollections of how I feel during races and training:

"It's (sic) been such a long time
I think I should be goin'
And time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
Sail on, on a distant highway
I've got to keep on chasin' a dream
I've gotta be on my way
Wish there was something I could say.

Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of your front door.

It's been such a long time. It's been such a long time."

Keep in mind that this is a mid-70's song, and one of the songs of my youth.

Old bikes vs. new bikes

I did my last race of the season on Saturday.  It was the Bonney Lake Sprint Triathlon.  Yes, the last day in August is a bit early to end my season, but I think it had to do with the previous 3 weeks.  For the first time in, oh maybe forever, I raced 4 weekends in a row.  It didn't start out that way.  I had planned to do the RAT race in Redmond in early August, and then Bonney Lake 3 weeks later.  So what happened?  David asked if we could do the Fort Lewis Olympic Tri as a relay, so I ran a 10K.  And then he asked to do the Lake Sammamish Triathlon.  And since I ALWAYS do the Bonney Lake Triathlon, well, there you go. 

As I was setting up my bike on Friday, I got a call from Bryan Brosious.  He was opting out of Bonney Lake.  Apparently, all of the 7 hour drives from Montana had taken their toll on him; that, and 12 previous races.  He said he was tired.  I definitely would have been. 

Since David had water polo practice on Saturday morning, he wasn't racing.  And since someone had to drive him to practice, Tracy wasn't going.  It was just going to be a solo journey for me, so I figured I'd do the race, load back up, and head home.  No breakfast at The Buttered Biscuit in Sumner this year. 

Saturday morning was beautiful, although a bit dark at 5:00 AM.  I loaded up and headed out to Bonney Lake, getting to the race site at around 6:15 AM... for an 8:30 AM race start.  Okay, I was a bit early, but I got a great parking spot.  Dave Tollefson spotted me immediately and said hi.  I got my race packet and set up my bike at the car, then headed into transition, saying hello to Rory Muller and chatting with him briefly.  I've been doing Rory's races since he started them, and he and his wife, Deanna, have definitely gotten it figured out.  Their races run pretty smoothly now, and Rory and Deanna do a nice job with thinking about the participants.  As I racked my bike, Drew Magill showed up with his P5.  It's a nice bike... a REALLY nice bike.  I realized that my beloved P3 is now 8 years old, and that, despite all of the newer bikes around, I really don't have any need or desire to change bikes.  Mark Doane showed up soon after with his P4.  While Drew was racked next to me, Mark was on the next rack over.  It would have been fun to have Mark on the same rack, so that we would have had a P3, P4, and P5 next to each other.  Oh well, here's a picture of the P3 with Drew's P5 in the background:

Even though there was still a lot of room on the rack, Mr. Felt (next to me) decided that he REALLY needed to rack his bike right on top of my transition towel.  It was kind of strange, but whatever.

I saw Paul Palumbo shortly after.  He asked me to look at his bike after the race, because he found a crack in the frame and wondered if he needed to replace it.  He has a QR TiPhoon that is about the same age as my P3.  What seemed strange was that it is titanium, and it had cracked.  That just isn't right.

And then I saw Karen Antonowicz and little Lucas.  Karen had mentioned that Bruce needed to do the Bonney Lake race to A) defend his title; and B) go out to The Buttered Biscuit.  So, it looked like I was going out to breakfast after the race after all.  I saw Bruce, and kidded him about coming out of retirement.  He smiled, but had his game face on already.  He looked intent on defending his title.

The race went well for me, except for the swim.  As usual, I was in the scrum, and then, for the first time ever, somebody managed to yank my goggles off of my head around 150 yards into the swim.  This was very odd, since it is difficult to do, because I put my goggles on under my swim cap.  So, I lost probably 15-20 seconds getting them back on and then proceeded on and finished.  I got on my bike and headed out, hammering the entire way, since I knew I had some catching up to do.  I passed a fair amount of Olympic racers, but was passed by two sprint racers early on who flew by me, which was another unusual event.  I guess they were even worse swimmers than I am.   I got back to transition, and traded my bike for my running shoes.  Because the bike course is set up as a loop, I had no idea what place I was in, but I knew I needed to run fast.  I caught Paul heading out of transition and told him to run with me.  I got a grunt in reply, and figured that I was on my own.  Karen saw me soon after and took this picture:

I caught Dave Tollefson soon after that, and his comment was, "What took you so long?"  And then I caught Bryan Hoon climbing up the first big hill, and his comment was, "You passed me in the same spot last year."  I couldn't really say much to either of them, because I was working as hard as I could and sucking air in a big way.  I basically just said, "Nice job," and kept plugging away.  Just short of the 2 mile mark, I heard some footsteps, and looked back to see a tall, thin young man moving up on me.  I hit the branch point for the Sprint/Olympic race and went straight while he turned left.  And then just after the 2 mile mark, I got passed by someone moving fast.  It was Darren Gray, who is 45 and so in my age group.  I realized that I had lost at least 1 place, because he was flying, and I wasn't.  Turns out I finished 2nd in my AG to Darren. 

Throughout the bike and run, I felt dead and couldn't go any harder.  After looking at my results, I knew why.  Despite my lack of training this year, my bike and run splits were the fastest I've ever gone at Bonney Lake.  So, maybe the 4 straight weeks of racing helped get me into better sprint shape.  I finished 8th OA and 2nd in my AG, not a bad showing, but I never saw Bruce, Drew, or Mark on the course.  They were way ahead of me.  Unfortunately for Drew, he missed the first turn on the run and ran off the course, so he DQ'd himself.  Having missed that turn myself in 2009 (the first year), I knew that it was easy to do; I was saved back then, because a spectator yelled at me and re-directed me back after only a few yards.  Bruce was able to defend his title, and Mark was 2nd, the second week in a row that Mark finished 2nd.

Picture of the 45-49 podium (as Tracy so lovingly needles me, I am First Loser):

On Tuesday, I had been reading about questions regarding new bikes, such as the Cervelo S5 and new S3.  When I got home, I decided to go for a ride, and grabbed my road bike, which is now nearly 18 years old.  I realized that, while there are a lot of new bikes out there, and are tantalizing, especially to David,  I have no desire (or need) to change bikes.  Drew's P5 with Di2 was really cool, but I still like the looks of my P3 better.  And my Ti Cycles Road Bike is timeless, even after 18 years, and still gives me a wonderful ride.  When I had originally had it built, I wanted a classic look, so it has a horizontal top tube and 700c wheels.  Dave Levy had suggested 650c wheels and a sloping top tube for a more compact geometry, but I didn't like that look.  And I'm definitely glad I did it that way.  It even has Campagnolo Record, which I changed from 8 speed Dura-Ace some years back.  There is something about how a classic bicycle looks that trumps all of the modern swoopy designs.

Of course, I might consider Di2 for them in the future...