#handsomeboycyclingclub

Oh just living that island lyfe.

I took a week off my bike after a really tough weekend of racing. My coach and I agreed that it was time to rest up after months and months of racing and training. The days were spend sleeping in (8am is sleeping in haha...), drinking a lot of coffee, watching movies after work, and seeing friends. Cycling takes so much out of you. The bicycle is a jealous and demanding mistress. But all the while I missed the pain dearly. I missed the sound of tyres hitting asphalt and the calm of seeing the world from a bicycle. But before I headed back into training mode for Cascade Classic, I joined a few of my (non-racing) friends for our Handsome Boy Cycling Club ride.

I remember seeing photos of Lachlan Morton riding through the Australian Outback with his brother. He was wearing bibs and a Hawaiian T-Shirt. It looked amazing. It said so much! You could not help but smile. It's like the mullet of cycling apparel- the delicate (or absurd) balance between business and pleasure. It showed a lighter and fun side to cycling. Too often I see people staring down at their computer trying to beat a Strava segment. We get so wrapped up in training that we forget why we ride bikes in the first place.

The inagural Hawaiian Shirt ride was a success and the most fun I have had on a bike in a long time. No Garmin, No Rules....


Currently packing for a weekend trip to Austin, TX to see my sister. Actually, I'm basically done. It takes me like 5 minutes to pack for a non-cycling-realted trip. Late.

not-so-weekly update post

Notes from the road

 

I'm sitting in a hotel in Tehachapi, CA. I just got out of a much-needed ice bath after a mind-melting hot road race in Bakersfield. My teammates are going to watch ATOC (Tour of California) tomorrow and I am going to hit up a crit in downtown Bakersfield.

It's almost time to take a rest.

I've been racing almost every weekend for the past few months. The road races in SoCal are coming to a close so I will have to look elsewhere for some road races. My form feels good but I just feel exhausted. The weather is about to heat up.

After that I will start training for Cascade Classic Stage Race in Bend, OR...

Here is a song I have been jamming on for the past few days....

CA/NV State Champ Race Report (Elite 3)

 

I was pretty bummed out to learn that the state champ road race was not going to be at the Devil's Punchbowl course like originally announced earlier in the year. I really like that course and hope they don't can it all together. After looking at the course map I learned that we actually rode this route during our training camp. The Elite 3 race was going to be 54 miles with 6000ft of climbing. 

Shackley, Addison, and I drove down the day before to re-con the roads and terrain. We were all a bit outspoken and concerned with the races being shortened by a lap for each category, but that quickly changed once we pre-rode the course. Basically, if you are not climbing up a hill, you are going down one. No flat sections. The course starts off with two climbs, a long-ish descent into a valley, a slight gradual incline to the turn around, and back again. The decisive climb was going to be coming back out of the valley, which then follows a 9% grade finish! 

 Having done a reconnaissance ride, we all felt more comfortable going into our races. Addi and I raced the Elite 3's. The race started with a very big field and from the gun a rider took off but doesn't get more than a minute gap on the field. I always do my best to stay on Addi's wheel, or near him, since he is always up front. This proved to be difficult later on. It's not until the incline inside the valley that the pace turns from tempo to race pace. We make the turnaround and make our way out of the valley. On this climb (which is about ~15min) we catch the lone rider and continue race-pace up the hill. 

 On our way to the finishing climb of the first lap, I drop back a few wheels, sit up, and clean my sunglasses. I then realize that I'm at the very back of the group and the field had been completely split in two! Whoa. The rest of the group realizes this after we turnaround at the top and see the gap. The pace continues... 

Attacks take off but are brought back immediately. It became clear that no one was going to allow anyone to get away. The group was just going to have to tear people off on the climbs. Some Monster Media Jr riders get up front and set tempo and slowly peel riders off the group on the steady incline towards the turnaround. Oh, I forgot to mention that it was very windy and with the valley road twisting and turning, drafting was quite difficult. 

The pace really ramps up on the long climb and I bounce from wheel to wheel trying not to get gapped off the back. I dug deep but detached from the group. Addison managed to stay with the front group but I wanted to be up there with him. On the small ascent in between the two climbs, three riders and myself form a chase group. The front group was not far but the climbs and the pace made catching them tough. Finally, after some tough pulls, we latch onto the front group just before the final climb. 

The final climb starts and I wait. I watch a few riders make a move and then pull the plug immediately. The %9 grade is much harder this time. I drop into my small ring and try to launch behind a strong wheel. I dig for the line and cross in 13th place with the shredded group. I buried myself in the hills on Castaic...

First Listen : Tycho "Awake" on NPR

Tycho's new album is being streamed on NPR


I've been a fan and following Tycho/Iso50/Scott Hansen since the birth of this blog. In fact, I think it was while I was under the influence of "Past is Prologue" that I actually decided to start this blog...back in 2007. A lot has happened and changed since then. Not only for me, but for Tycho as well. They have earned fans all around the world and I could not be happier.

Please click photo to be taken to the First Listen of "Awake".

Valley of Fire SR 2014

Actual conversation I had with my body after the Pro1/2/3 Crit.

Body - hey Ryan

Me - Yeah whats up?

Body - WTF was that?!

Me - What was what?

Body - WTF did you just put us through?!

Me - Oh, sorry guys, I forgot to tell you that we were going to do a P123 Crit. I wasn’t sure how fast it was going to be. And hey, I know you guys are feeling kinda tired and sick but I would like to thank you, especially my legs, for hanging in there. The team really appreciates it.

Body - Well, sorry bro, we are shutting down. Call us in a few days,

Me - What if I promise to rest on Sunday and get a massage on Monday?

Body - Ehh…

Me - …and I will reward you guys with pizza on Sunday night. Even though you guys are protesting on Sunday, even though I put you guys through three weeks of travel and racing, and even though everything hurts : I’m still really proud of what I accomplished. I could have easily gone and done the cat 3/4 race and done well, I chose to do the Pro1/2/3 race knowing full well it would be hell. So thanks.

Body - Welcome, I guess, whatever. We will be back to working in a few days.

I got a few weeks to rest until State Champs. Them Tour de Sol is after that. That conversation above is no joke, I am in a lot of pain. I had back pains the week leading into VOF and then caught a cold; probably from the rainy time trial on Friday. Well, that's racing. Back to training...

Race Updates @iamryanokeefe

Get race and training updates from myself on Twitter.

I know I said I would never get a Twitter. I've always believed in the fine balance between under and over sharing on the Internet : and I lean more to the later. But I think I can justify it if I only use it for race updates.

So, do not expect any, "waiting in line @sbux. #FML" or anything like that!

Enjoy
Follow - @iamryanokeefe

Valley of the Sun SR 2014

Took 19th GC in Elite 3

Valley of the Sun Stage Race is a good season opener. Located in the brutally hot and dry city of Phoenix, AZ, racers over there are in pretty good form early on. Allegiant Air Cycling had eight riders go down in different categories. Friday was a simple but punishing Time Trial, Saturday was a long Road Race, and Sunday's crit was in the rutted streets of downtown PHX.

I took 19th in my first time trial with a proper time trial bike and I think if I actually spend some time on it I will do better. Nineteenth is pretty much where I stayed for the remainder of the stage race.

On Saturday, Addison and I set out to get one of us in a breakaway. After two tempo laps we got up front and started hammering out hard efforts. We each took turns attacking until finally Addison got away with a few riders. He proceeded to stay away and finish second - while I chilled in the pack and made sure the tempo never got too hot or close to the break.

Sunday's crit was crazy fast. One thing I've learned about Cat 3 crits is: from the whistle it's fucking ON! Not only was the pace super fast, the road was really torn up on the backside. I cased my wheel a few times, lost my bottle on a rough section, and lost positions trying to find a line that wasn't land-mined.

VOS was great fun with the team. We all stayed in a host house together. We lounged around after races and ate a bunch of food together. That's what racing is all about. Having fun with your friends and burying yourself on the road.

 

Valley of Fire Stage Race in Overton, NV is this weekend...

How I spent my late November Vay Cay

According to my phone.

I had a week of vacation days left that I needed to take. My coach decided I should treat the week like a cycling training camp program. He said get some long hours on the bike, after that, ride your bike. I got a solid 20hours in for the week. My TT bike was also completed and I got a chance to get on that for a few good rides. I'm planning on making Time Trailing a new focus for next season. I plan on hitting stage races harder and maybe even skipping some less than great Criteriums for Time Trial Events. I also got a chance to give some old rides a revisit and experimented with some new routes. Sometimes I'm amazed as to how much solid riding can be done, once you get out of the city.

Panarama view of the descent into Callville Bay. You can see the water from the top of the hill.

Red Rock is very peaceful on weekdays. There aren't any cyclist traffic jams and Strava nerds out.

MS150

Well...I'm keeping my promise. 

Over the weekend I participated in the Multiple Sclerosis 150 charity event. I believe this is the seixth year I have done this event. This event is sort of a coming of age event as a cyclist. I first lined up at this event with a brakeless fixed gear with Vans. Now, I use the event as a regular winter base-mile day.

Day 1 Garmin

Day 2 Garmin

  I raised $500 so I got a sweet jersey

     Lots of food and goodies before I head out.

               The beverage tri-fecta with Mike in the background grubbin.

Cheers.

Attempting for make contact. Again. Maybe for Real.

I apologized a years ago.

And I did not keep contact.

A lot has been going on and I have been half-ass publishing it elsewhere. All the while, though, I thought about this blog. I started it yearsssss ago. For no one else but myself. I was not concerned about followers. I was not concerned about constantly worrying about if I'm breaking my Inernet-rule of not over-sharing; or better yet under sharing. Truth is I want to share everything that's going on in my life with this blog.

 So...maybe...perhaps...I suppose I can re-vamp this time capsule. I could spend hours re-writing everything that has happened in my year and a half absence. But I think I will just start from here and see how things go. There may be some new interests and adventures but just go with it.

Where to start…Let me first apologize for the lack of excitement on here. I promise you the inactivity does not directly reflect my life. A lot has been going on. I’ve been trying to think of the right post to return back to. Do I write about the Tour de France starting next week? Or about how I sold my car? Or about how I am about to buy a new car? Maybe I could write about my race season. Or maybe I could talk about all the music festivals I am going to this summer. Oh, and Joe and Saskia from HOC are getting married, I couldn’t mention that. I did climb Mt Charelston on my bike last weekend, I guess I could talk about that too. How about we just get started and see how many posts go up…

Location:Attempting to make blog contact...

I'm alive

I feel it's time to break the silence on here...

SELLA

my-life-according-to-my-phone

My life as of late...

Tour de Sol

Took 10th overall in Tour de Sol Stage Race.

I took 21st in the TT. A full minute behind the leader. Not too bad. I think once I build my TT bike it will be a whole new ballgame. I passed my 30sec and 1min guy. I was stoked on that.

I took 12th in the horribly windy Crit. I worked so hard just to stay in the back. Haha. It was crazy crosswind. No matter where I went I couldn't get in the draft. I only felt good during the last five laps. On last lap, last corner I went a bit too wide. It was a super long sprint, so I didn't jump right away. A few guys passed me, but once I jumped I gained them back at the line. I need to be up there for the last lap. That's 2 12th place crits. I was kinda worn out from the TT before.

I took 11th in the road race. This was a tough, tough race for me. The weather was windy in town and heavy clouds were hovering over gunlock, UT. No one really knew what time each category went off, so I tried to be ready by 8:30, which is when we went off. It started sprinkling. I wore my long sleeve jersey and leg warmers. I did this course before, so I knew what to expect. The first big climb always strings out the field and the first group up the hill stay away. So I was in perfect position starting the climb. I'm out of my saddle and the wind, rain, and pain of no warm up starts to set in. I fall back but keep the leaders a few bike lengths back. I crest the hill and the leaders have already started breaking away. I'm in the same position I was last year, but I refused to just sit and wait for the peloton. I start charging but I am gaining no ground. After a solo effort, Travis from Le Rois comes up next to me and tells me to get on! He has five other riders with him. We start a good rotating paceline and make good time. After an hour of pushing hard and keeping the pace hot we catch the group!! I felt so accomplished. All of five of us gave eachother high fives and pats on the back because we can not believe we caught the leaders. For a while we thought it was hopeless. If the pace slowed down, myself or someone would launch off the front and pull. Once we got to the leaders I was pretty tired. The efforts and matches I burned to catch the group took a major toll. There was about 8 miles left. I stayed in the back to recover. After a bonk breaker bar and some swigs of my waterbottle I was ready to move up. Five miles to go. People try to attack but because of the sequential hills nothing would stay away, and I knew this. It was going to come down to a field sprint. Before the final hill to the finish, someone attacks and it breaks the group. I attach to the tail end but can't move up. My legs are dying and soaking wet. I push as hard as I can. I manage to pass one rider up the hill. And it was over. 11th place, which would later put me in 10th. I felt so proud of myself for not giving up and catching the lead group!